This year is going to be different. Not because it is 2016 but because you are going to take the opportunity to make 2016 great!
Go after that dream job. Request an early performance evaluation. Submit justification for a raise. Establish a relationship with a mentor. Pick yourself up and hold your head high when a risk doesn’t pan out. Simply feel more positive about your career path and the opportunities that lie ahead.
This is the year you are going to regain control of your professional life. Here is how you are going to do it:
1) STOP letting fear get in your way … START putting yourself out there.
In the past five years, how many times have you not done something because you were scared you would fail or scared of what someone else might think?
Stop letting fear control you. Don’t let another year pass by without taking a few risks to advance yourself professionally.
Take 30 Seconds: Write down three professional situations you are no longer going to allow your fears to control.
2) STOP allowing others to miscalculate your value … START compiling reasons why you deserve more.
We live in a world that can be very harsh at times. If others are deflating your psyche then it is up to you to find inner strength and confidence so you can deflect their negativity and convince them of your worth when necessary.
Take an interview situation, for example. If your interviewer doesn’t immediately recognize the value of your past experience, instead of accepting the interviewer’s assessment, present your accomplishments and communicate how the experience equips you to perform in the new role.
Take 30 Seconds: Write down three times when someone undervalued you followed by an action that you are going to take to prevent that from happening again.
3) STOP focusing on what could have been … START focusing on what is possible.
Perhaps your life isn’t going as planned. A twist or turn here or there starts changing the course of your life. This doesn’t change your ability to achieve the amazing; it simply means you may end up achieving something much different than you had originally planned.
Instead of looking backward at things that might have been, reposition your eyes forwards so you can see opportunities that have presented themselves because of what you have done and where you are at this moment in life. You may be very surprised at your new possibilities when you redirect your focus.
Take 30 Seconds: Write down three professional opportunities you have available to you that were not part of your plans five years ago.
We can’t control what happens to us, but we can control the way we respond. Make your 2016 a great year!
MOAA provides its Premium and Life members and their spouses with a wealth of military-focused information, services, and resources for career transition. Whether you are transitioning to a civilian career from the military or moving from one career field to another, MOAA is there to help.