Moving Forward With Hope: The Labor of Transition

Moving Forward with Hope
The Labor of Transition

If you’re in the throes of transition and job seeking, you’re undoubtedly doing something productive — banging some emails or revising your LinkedIn strategy. It’s all good, and it’s part of doing more to achieve that worthy goal-new work with meaning and reward.

I recently viewed the video 212 Degrees-The Extra Degree.

While its hip music and platitudes are a bit off-putting, the concept behind the video is rock solid. Water at 211 degrees hot; water at 212 degrees boils, produces steam, even powers locomotives. The work you do in transition may prove successful with that extra step, that burst of energy you didn’t think you had, that next call, or that extra 10 minutes preparing your reply to the always asked, “So, tell me what you can do for this organization.”

Peter Drucker says that sometimes the difference between success and failure in any endeavor comes down to just one thing-hard work. There is something to that idea, but it’s not just about effort-it’s what you do and how you do it.

212 Degrees contains a great line, “We’ll never get what we’ve never had unless we do what we’ve never done.” Success is about using your imagination and taking a risk with your approach. For many of us, it’s simply spending less time on the job boards and more time pursuing other options. That may mean presenting your best self by meeting with people in person and putting your ideas front and center. Face-to-face meetings may seem formidable, but here are a couple of things that you can do to make them successful.

First, as the video stresses, “belief fuels enthusiasm.” Before you meet with people you don’t know, put yourself in the presence of people who already believe in you. Their encouragement will enhance your self-belief, and your rekindled confidence and passion will be evident to those who don’t know you, but will soon want to.

The video also hearkens to develop a clear, articulate goal statement. This is an old saw to be sure but failure here has gotten in the way of success for countless job seekers. A well-stated goal–rich and customized to the person with whom you’re communicating,–is the foundation for relationship building and will lead to opportunities, options, and openings. The good stuff.

Religious texts are replete with stories about the fruits and wines which come from long laboring in the vineyard. Metaphors for transition to be sure.

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TODAY…

Revaluate how you’re using your time and energy in job seeking-with an eye on what extra or new you could do to be successful. Are you working that extra degree to generate steam and power? Write down your work goals and have them reviewed by a mentor, coach, friend, spouse or email me at tom@centerforlifetranstions.net.