Key Messages
Rethinking Work And Career Paths: How To Reinvent Yourself In The Modern Workplace
Finding your dream job is no longer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – it’s something that everyone should be working on.
And, with the right advice, you can get closer to finding that perfect career.
In The 10 Laws of Career Reinvention by Richard Gerson and Steve Fenton, they delve into the nitty gritty details of rewriting your professional life.
Along the way, readers will learn why having the equivalent of a board of directors when looking for a new career path is essential; how to identify those three excuses that may keep them from success; and why understanding an alternative meaning of the concept “agent” might be key for finding success.
If you’re ready to put in the work and start making progress towards achieving your dream job, make sure to check out The 10 Laws of Career Reinvention!
Reinvent Your Career And Live The Life You Want: How To Craft A New Professional Path
If you want to reinvent your career, having a vision of how you want to live is essential.
Whether it’s spending more time with your family or having a successful career in a certain field, you need to ask yourself questions such as: “What do I want my daily working life to look like?” and “What do I want out of my job?”.
You should also make sure not to let fantasies take over – it’s important to be aware of what is realistically achievable.
The 10 Laws of Career Reinvention encourages readers to think about the life they would like to lead, and then develop an action plan for getting there.
It’s not enough just to have a dream – you need an informed plan on how to get there.
It’s important not to be overwhelmed by impossible goals, so make sure that everything fits within the realm of possibility.
If you want make a change in your professional life, having an open-minded vision for your future will give you the drive needed to get moving forward.
So go ahead and start visualizing what kind of life and career path would be ideal for you!
Listen To Your Body And Not Just Your Intellect For Career Reinvention
The 10 Laws of Career Reinvention outlines the fact that your body is a much better guide to reinvention than your intellect.
Our bodies are able to quickly process complex situations and make snap judgements, while our active thought processes can only handle limited amounts of information at one time.
You should always consider paying attention to your gut reactions when making decisions about career reinvention.
Our bodies are also quick to notify us when something is missing by sending signals such as headaches or insomnia.
Listen to these messages and do something about it if you’re in an uncomfortable situation that isn’t right for you.
On the other hand, our intellect really just wants us to feel good about ourselves which can put us in difficult positions.
Things may sound attractive to us but may not be right for our careers and goals.
Let your body be your guide as it never lies when it comes to what direction will best serve you in your journey towards career reinvention!
Overcoming Fear And Excuses: Knowing Your Responsibility And Ability To Influence Your Circumstances
Fear is often the root cause of excuses when it comes to career reinvention.
The 10 Laws of Career Reinvention explains that fear is a primal reaction that has been passed down over time, meant to keep us safe from harm.
As much as we’d love to avoid it, fear will be there when you undertake something new and risky like changing careers.
What is particularly tricky about feeling scared and wanting to make an excuse are the ways it allows us to hang onto our self-esteem while still refusing to risk anything.
We tell ourselves things like ‘I would take this big chance if I had the time,’ as if time is the only thing holding us back.
This allows us to place blame and avoid responsibility for not taking risks that could propel us forward in life.
But making excuses won’t allow us to continue on a path or goal without addressing what aspects we find so intimidating from taking on major changes in our careers.
To do this, we must understand our personal excuses – the ones that deny responsibility, ability and clarity – by questioning if there all really inevitable obstacles or just false limitations we create for ourselves.
Making excuses can become a difficult habit rooted in fear, but with “The 10 Laws of Career Reinvention” we can learn how to break through them and ultimately take control of our future without fail.
Embracing The Unknown: Overcoming Our Fear Of Ambiguity For Career Reinvention
Exploring the “road less traveled” is an important part of career reinvention as it can open up new possibilities that you may not have thought of before.
It trains your brain to come up with novel ideas, increases your chances of finding the perfect job, and helps you become more open to change.
The “unknown” or ambiguity associated with exploring this “road less traveled” can be intimidating, however.
Ambiguity is different from risk because we don’t even know what the odds are in uncertain situations.
It can be hard to determine the likelihood allowing yourself to not get a job when an employer seems undecided.
However, taking a chance on something unfamiliar can pay off in vast amounts if you’re willing to take a step outside of your comfort zone and think outside the box for a bit!
You Don’T Have To Let Your Old Job Identity Limit Your Career Re-Invention
When transitioning to a new career, it’s important to remember that you don’t start from scratch.
You already have developed skills from your old job that can be used in your new position.
That means you don’t have to learn something completely new – you just need to apply the same skills in a different setting.
Take Reggie Mebane as an example.
He worked at FedEx for most of his life, but after he left was able to find a new opportunity as a chief management officer at the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
Even though FedEx and the CDC do completely different things, they had positions where Mebane could utilize his corporate management and logistical knowledge.
The key is to identify these skills and use them as stepping stones towards success when making a career change.
But, in order for this to work, one must abandon their job identity and recognize their transferable skills.
Otherwise, they will remain emotionally and intellectually stuck in the past which could stop progress or discourage those who would help them with their transition.
Just like how Mebane had to leave behind his previous job title so that others saw him as perfect fit for the CDC, it’s vital recognise all of your valuable transferable skills before beginning any sort of reinventing journey.
Create A Reinvention Board To Help You On Your Career Journey
When it comes to career reinvention, having a supportive team is key.
You need different types of people who can help you in all aspects of your journey and equip you with the knowledge and resources necessary to succeed.
That’s why it’s important to build your own “reinvention board,” which includes people with expertise in several areas: networking, experience, support, and insider knowledge on the industry you are entering.
First, a master connector – someone who has great connections that can help guide your way; second, a clued-in colleague – someone who knows your strengths and weaknesses and can tell if an opportunity is right for you; third, a warm ‘n’ fuzzy – good friends who will catch you if you fall and make you feel grounded; fourth, a drill sergeant – someone with no patience for excuses yet fully supports your dream; finally, the native – an industry expert with invaluable insight on the culture.
It’s also important that none of these people have any conflicting interests and might otherwise not be impartial when providing guidance or advice.
This means spouses, family members or partners should not be part of it as they will be directly affected by your decision to change careers.
In essence, career reinvention requires a supportive team.
A reinvention board composed of people from different disciplines – those who wish only the best for you but tell you the unadulterated truth – prepares you for success in this complicated endeavor!
Get Advice From “Natives” To Make A Successful Career Reinvention
If you want to successfully switch careers, it is essential to seek out advice from the “natives” of your target industry.
Those already working in the field are often the best sources of knowledge and information when it comes to understanding the ins and outs of an unfamiliar landscape.
When Felina Rakowski-Gallagher set out to open New York’s first boutique catering to the needs of breastfeeding mothers, she sought help from people who had done something similar: The Warburtons, a couple running a similar shop in Salt Lake City, were able to provide her with all the necessary information and guidance she needed to get started.
In order to benefit from that type of insider knowledge, however, you need to show commitment.
Natives won’t waste their time helping someone who isn’t serious about their goals – they can tell when someone is just making excuses.
That’s why Felina didn’t think twice before taking her young daughter across her chest on a flight for that important career-switching conference: It demonstrated not just determination but also true commitment.
If you want help navigating your own career reinvention journey, don’t be afraid to reach out!
Just be sure that you’re ready to commit – otherwise you could end up wasting everyone’s time (including your own).
It’S Not Just About The Resume: Learn To Speak The Language Of The Industry You Want To Join
When it comes to career reinvention, learning the language of any given industry is essential.
Every sector has its own nuances when it comes to the meaning and use of certain words, as well as a specific jargon that only people in the industry are familiar with.
Additionally, every area has various signs or codes of communication that those already part of it understand; these may be both verbal and nonverbal.
For example, if you’re trying to become a part of the golf business, you must make sure you understand what “scratch golfer” means.
Another important factor is to learn the culture – demonstrating modesty instead of showing off can really make all the difference.
Being able to understand exactly how your experience should be translated into this new language could be vastly beneficial for potential employers who view your resume – without understanding their industry’s language they won’t be able to decipher your true worth!
Moreover, by speaking their tongue fluently you’ll generate trust among them and they’ll feel secure taking a chance on you more often than not.
How To Manage Reasonable Expectations For Career Reinvention In The Face Of Unexpected Events
You may have perfectly planned out your career reinvention for the next year, but unfortunately life doesn’t always go as planned.
The reality is that you can’t always control how quickly events and people play a role in your reinvention process.
It’s easy to feel frustrated when replies take longer than expected (or don’t come at all) or if unexpected world events throw an obstacle into the mix.
In short, it’s important to remember that reinvention takes time and you have to be understanding of other factors that are completely beyond your control.
You’ll find yourself becoming more successful in the long run if you’ve taken the time to plan ahead and have realistic expectations about the pace of progress.
Instead of feeling like a failure when things take longer than expected, remind yourself that these extra delays might very well be putting certain pieces into motion that’ll get you closer to where you want to be in the end.
Building Confidence Is Key In Career Reinvention: Focusing On Talents, Healing Emotional Pain, Seeking Positive Feedback, And Avoiding Pessimism
It’s no secret that when it comes to career reinvention, confidence is key.
People are naturally drawn to those who display an aura of confidence and strength.
This is especially true when you’re trying to make a big change in your life.
To get people interested in what you have to offer, you need to draw on internal resources like your natural talents and skills – something only you possess.
Realize that emotional healing is necessary and take the time needed for self-reflection and personal growth.
And don’t forget to find positive reinforcements by listening to those who can help you along the way.
They can provide invaluable insight into what works and what doesn’t, enabling you to stay the course and see your goals through until completion.
At times, it can be easy to allow pessimism from others to cloud your positive outlook – it’s important not to let this happen.
Those who claim that success isn’t possible haven’t typically tried hard enough yet.
Ask yourself if there is another angle or something else out there which could bring greater success beyond where you currently are in the process.
Remember – if it’s authentic confidence, then people will surely be drawn towards it!
Wrap Up
The 10 Laws of Career Reinvention by Cal Newport is an invaluable guide for anyone looking to switch careers.
The book outlines the key message that career reinvention is possible, and provides actionable advice so readers can make it happen.
At its heart, the final summary of this book is about bridging the gap between what you say and what you do.
To make a successful career switch, you need to take actions- and it’s important to take the time to reflect on what those actions should look like.
By making a list of five things you’ve wanted to pursue but haven’t yet accomplished- and then evaluating what has kept you from achieving each one- individuals can increase their chances at following through with their career reinvention dreams and realizing their full potential.
