7 mistakes high achievers make when choosing their next career step (part 3)
Today, we’re continuing with our series 7 mistakes high achievers make when choosing their next career step :)
You can read the introduction to the series here.
And you can read about Mistake #1: Thinking in terms of jobs and roles…Instead of thinking in terms of applications of their craft here.
And you can read about Mistake #2: Thinking in terms of industries and functions…Instead of thinking in terms of goals, blockers, and problems to be solved here.
Now, let’s jump into Mistake #3.
Mistake #3: Discounting the value of your craft because it comes easily to you.
So far in the process, you’ve gotten to a rough 50-60% understanding of your craft in Part 1.
And in Part 2, you’ve been sharpening your understanding of your craft and its possible applications by…
Talking to people about the goals, blockers, and problems-to-be-solved that they face day-to-day in their job.
And noticing your Automatic Brain’s reaction as you listen to them talk.
Is your brain chomping at the bit to go solve that problem? (If so, solving that problem is a good application of your craft.)
Or is your brain bored and turned off by the problem? (If so, solving that problem is a NOT good application of your craft.)
Now as you listen to different problems, and your brain tells you how it wants to apply your craft to those problems…
There’s a very high chance that you’ll say, “Oh, but ALL I’d be doing is ____.”
Or, “But it’s JUST me doing _____.”
Or, “But it’s nothing more than _____.”
In other words, you will discount the value of your craft.
And the reason you do this is because you have an unconscious (or totally conscious!) belief that…
No pain = No gain.
That things are supposed to be hard in order for them to be valuable.
Now, it makes total sense that your brain developed this belief.
Being a good student and a good early-career employee often requires…
Working hard.
Being disciplined.
Delaying gratification.
Displaying grit and resilience.
Diligently improving any skill that doesn’t come naturally to you.
“Pain now for gain later” was absolutely the correct strategy — for that phase of your life.
And since you used that strategy successfully for a very long time…
When something feels too easy, your brain starts naturally ringing the alarm bells.
And your brain starts telling you: “You’re being lazy. You’re getting complacent. You’re losing your ambition.”
But here’s the thing that you might not realize…
You’re now in a new phase of your life.
You used to be at “Level 1,” where hard work, discipline, and delayed gratification were the competitive advantages that would let you advance.
And because of your tremendous success at Level 1…
You have unlocked Level 2.
But here’s the thing about Level 2.
Everyone at this level works hard, is disciplined, delays gratification, and displays grit and resilience.
So those things are no longer competitive advantages.
Everyone does them.
Your competitive advantage at Level 2 is ease.
Your competitive advantage at Level 2 is doing the stuff that comes naturally to you.
The stuff that you find weirdly easy and are surprised to learn that others find difficult.
Focusing on doing what comes easily to you is NOT you being lazy, complacent, or unambitious.
It’s you exercising your competitive advantage at the level of the game you’re playing.
Because everyone at this level can work hard.
But only YOU can do that thing that you’re spookily good at.
And the nice thing about Level 2 is that everyone has different things that come naturally to them.
So you’re not even in direct competition with anyone else.
It’s an infinite pie with a lot of win-win exchanges to be made :)
So as you hear about the different problems you could solve, and think about how your craft could be applied to solve them…
And your brain starts ringing the alarm bells, saying, “This feels too easy. Are we getting lazy?”
Tell your brain: Ease is a competitive advantage.
“Brain, we’re looking for the stuff that feels easy!
AND creates value by effectively solving problems and overcoming blockers and helping people achieve the goals other people want to achieve.”
This can be an especially tough belief to rewire.
But it’s a really important belief to shift.
Because otherwise you’ll find yourself grinding and grinding with no end in sight…
Wondering why you’re not getting you the results you want…
And wondering what you’re missing that everyone else seems to have.
But the truth is — you’re not missing anything.
You’re just not throwing your full weight behind that special thing that only you have.
So come talk to me if I can help nudge your brain out of its no pain = no gain mentality.
You can drop by anytime for a no-strings-attached coffee chat ☕️
It’s not a sales pitch.
It’s just an opportunity for us to discuss whatever’s on your mind…
And I’ll offer some one-off coaching and brainstorming about your situation.
Or you can book a consult call, and we can map out a full coaching engagement.
So we can get your brain fully bought in on ease as a competitive advantage…
Flesh out what your strengths-based, craft-focused career strategy would look like…
And then put that strategy into execution — whether that’s you going to the next level in your current job, or finding your way to whatever is next :)
⬅️ Mistake #2 || Mistake #4 ➡️
What my clients have to say…
“I would recommend Pooja’s coaching to people who, growing up, have done well in school environments.
Because people who do well in those environments, oftentimes in the real world, they place a lot of pressure on themselves to continue doing well.
Whereas the real world is quite different to the school environment.”
—Client | Solutions Engineer at Fintech Company
I help high achievers build their careers around flow.
This requires…
Internally, learning how to access your flow no matter what’s going on around you
Externally, designing a career strategy that angles your flow at a high-priority problem that someone will pay you good money to solve
Tactically, navigating the transition from where you are right now to where you want to be
Today’s article focused on #2.
For more writing on all 3 of these, check out my table of contents.
You can also support this publication (and make my day!) by subscribing and sharing it with anyone you think would find it helpful. Thank you for being here :)
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