It may be that there’s not a lot you can do. Whether you are a fan of nature or nurture, you have been built from the ground up. To either succeed during tough times. Or scuttle through them as best you can. But I don’t believe that.
Based on your prior years, you’ve come into your present self with either a waterfall of confidence, a slow drip or something in between. But you can start to fix that.
How do you measure your flow?
If you look back on your last career transition or if you are experiencing one now, you are likely well aware of just how bullish you feel about your ability to land on your feet.
Or you may have started questioning whether the core ability to succeed in tough times is hard wired in you.
But I don’t question that. Because I’ve done it already. And because I have, I know I can do it again.
How?
Here are my examples:
- My parents divorced during my last year of high school. Splitting up our family and forcing me into being an adult sooner than I planned.
- My dad lost his job during my freshman year of college. It forced me to get two jobs to stay enrolled and housed.
- I completed an MBA while working full time.
- My wife and I had twins. And a two year old.
- I signed up for and completed a marathon in just over 4 hours. That was hard.
- I built this site and blog part time. Sacrificing family time and sleep. Because I love doing it.
Each of these examples has now become part of my experience. Ones that I draw on when times get tough. The knowledge that I have made it through successfully is a powerful piece of evidence that I can do it.
Time and time again.
Now I’ll ask you. What does your list of life experiences look like? And how do you tap into that experience when you are challenged in life?
Have a short list? Then start creating those experiences. Right now.
Pick one thing in your life that you know will be hard and set out to do it. Climb a mountain, run a half-marathon, start a networking group, go back and get that degree.
Because once you finish. You can add that to your list. And tap that extra confidence when you need it. And, soon, you can add “successful job search in the worst economy ever”.
While staring “tough times” right in the eye.
