Love Your Career Past? Or hate it?

It is natural and normal to regret the past. Whether you are job seeking, changing careers, or wanting a promotion, it’s normal to regret career decisions of the past.

I remember flying into O’Hare Airport as a young professional and feeling depressed because of a few short years I spent in Chicago at college. I regretted some decisions, the break-up of friendships, and the desertion of my “big chance” scholarship.

Later, I realized it was all for the best. Now I can return to Chicago, even to my college campus, and relish the wonderful experiences I had there.

We have a choice: to remember the bad, or to relish the good. The same goes with your professional career.

You are a complex, evolving being. The choices and decisions you made in the past were not all good, but ALL of them worked toward your good, because the point is not to have a perfect life, but to have an evolving, growing, learning life.  Look back at the trials, disappointments, and failures and realize they were all gifts—gifts to help you grow and develop.

Here’s how to find the “gifts” in your Career Past:

1. Consider what you learned. Many jobs require a sharp learning curve. And, learning is something that can never be taken away from you. Perhaps you became acquainted with a new software—like Salesforce.com, or SQL, Microsoft Project, or Python. Later, you find a job lead that requires that you know the software you have just learned!
2. Consider who you met. Even the most dismal job will sometimes provide a coworker or boss who becomes an important person in your life. Right now, consider your friends, and friends of friends. Chances are, most of them were met through your career. By the way, use LinkedIn to connect with everyone. Even if you weren’t friends, as long as you were “friendly,” it’s valuable to connect with them.
3. Think about how you grew. I once made a huge mistake and revealed some secret information I thought was public. My boss encouraged me to apologize, and even coached me on what to say and how to say it. I remember his wisdom to this day, and use it whenever I have wronged another person.
4. Think of what you earned. While you might have been better off somewhere else, you can never know that. Think about the prosperity you experienced while having a full-time salaried job. Think about the surgery that was paid for, or the bonus that allowed you to take your first real vacation. Be proud of the awards you won.

Loving your Career Past allows you to move confidently into a future where you can accelerate your success, achieve even more, and gain the prosperity you seek today.

If you are looking for some “Career Therapy,” please connect with me. In a short, complimentary conversation, I will help you create a Career Strategy to prepare you for that next opportunity.