“Those Who Cannot Change their Minds Cannot Change Anything” – George Bernard Shaw
One of the first lessons I teach my clients is the importance of flexibility. We create plan A and plan B, design short- and long-term goals, and figure out the actions my client needs to take, but in reality, everything needs to be prepared with a flexible mindset. This is mainly because opportunities present themselves, problems arise, or feelings change. What seemed appealing at one time may a few months later need to be revisited and checked.
Accepting the need for change is a key factor in success. Failure is the first clue that what you tried did not work and your plan needs to be revisited before you try again. It is not a reflection of the plan as a whole. Nor is it a red flag that is calling you to stop what you are doing. It is a sign that you need to sit down, revisit, and ask yourself critical but powerful questions such as:
Are my goals clear?
How committed am I to my goals?
Am I focused on one small thing or multiple opportunities at one time?
Is plan A the most important plan for me?
Try answering these questions by writing the answers down, creating a table of your goals, or drawing what your success will look like. Answers to these questions will help guide you in the direction that will lead you to pick up the pieces and try again. Your unswerving answers will determine your ability to stay focused and move forward in reaching your goals. Just remember as you revisit these questions to be honest to yourself, be prepared to take responsibility for your failures, and be willing to change your mind.
TIP: There is no wrong way – just do it your way and you will succeed.
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I am a passionate career literacy and gifted education advocate! If you like talking about either of my two passions, let’s chat.
For the past few years, I have been a career and educational coach. Before that, I wore many hats experimenting with every opportunity that presented itself and throughout it all, my passion and commitment was to help others succeed and make a difference in the world.
I have been working from home since 2013! In the past few years, I developed a private career coaching practice Right Career Fit, earned a Master of Education, a Doctor of Education as well as a career coaching certificate. The success of my private practice is a testament to my talent development and resource planning skills. I am a lifelong learner with a natural intellectual curiosity and I love challenges.
Presenting and attending conferences across North America (in person and virtually) reflect my belief in the value of advocating for my two passions. I am also constantly looking for opportunities to influence public policy and increase support for the teaching and learning communities with a focus on inclusive career practices in Canada and globally. This is why I am a Chair/Board Director on various Boards.
The past year has been a mix of significant losses and unforeseen challenges as well as amazing opportunities and unanticipated gains for many of us. I hope everyone is doing well...Despite all of this, each of us survived in our own way. Yet we continue to feel overwhelmed and concerned about the forces that the new year could bring. I encourage you to get involved in your communities, personal or professional. There is nothing like having the support of people who care about you during the ups and downs of this era.
To close, I strive to be a spokesperson for the importance of career education and continue to work with a variety of media to create awareness of its value. I am on a mission to have #careerliteracy trend across social media. If you care to join me, let’s chat!
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