Job Searching Is Like Going To The Gym

Time to read: 1 minute 15 seconds

Welcome to week 2 of Job Searching for Corporate Rebels!

An effective job search builds momentum. You start with a handful of connections and grow it into a vibrant matrix. This means three things:

1. You have to start somewhere which means you can start anywhere.
2. The start may be slow. That's ok. It takes a while to build momentum.
3. You want your job search to take on a life of its own.

Looking for a job is like going to the gym. When you start, working out doesn't feel great. You can't lift much weight, and your body feels unfamiliar and uncomfortable. You force yourself to go. After a few weeks, a bicep appears, and you sleep better. As you start to see results, you become intrinsically motivated to work out.

Job searching works the same way. Doing reps gets results. Job search reps are making calls, talking to people, submitting resumes, and just like the gym, refining your approach will focus your results as you progress (tailoring your resume, honing your talking points).

Job searching isn't magic (until you get the offer, then it definitely feels like magic). It's a matter of discipline and willingness. Doing the work. Talking to people. Sending applications. Do the reps. Over time, you build momentum.

Today's Hot Tip: Do the reps. Job searching isn't complex. Just do the reps.

In the next couple of weeks, I'll share more about how to build momentum. Stay tuned.

If you have a friend or colleague who could benefit from 14 years of experience in career development and job seeking, please hit forward and share this newsletter with them. They can subscribe here to receive the whole series.

Reach out anytime!

OMG! I Did It!

Time to read: Less than 1 minute.

Hi Rebels,

The Moth Story Slam was last night. It was one of the most amazing nights of my life.

Here's how it works: You put your name in a hat and then before each story teller leaves the stage, they draw the name of the next story teller. So, you don't know if you will get to tell your story until it's your turn. Then each story is rated by a panel of audience judges like the Olympics - 9.5, 8.4, 7.9. (Don't even get me started on how much I hate to be judged. Thank you negative ego.)

I was #7 of 10 story tellers, which is a good strategic spot. You don't want to be first when the judges haven't calibrated a good story yet. And last is not great, because the audience is tired.

When they called my name, I floated to the stage. The lights blinded my ability to see the audience, which was good. The story was ready through diligent feedback (thanks, Anne!) and practicing (thanks to my dog for listening over and over). Telling the story was like being in a state of conscious unconsciousness - deeply present, completely immersed, and separated from the reality that there were 200 people in that bar. They laughed. They clapped. They cheered. It was incredible.

The moment was a triumph over terror into joy. And as always, I think about what this experience means to you. Here it is:

• Do that thing that you've always wanted to do. Even if it terrifies you.
• Find your negative ego boring. In the week leading up to last night, I started to fixate on my fear and anxiety (courtesy of my negative ego). What if I freeze on stage? What if no one likes my story? After a couple of days of this, I decided not to indulge my addiction to worry and simply replaced it with visions of getting on that stage and having fun.
• It takes discipline to push past fear. The fear and anxiety lurked around the edges regularly. Living free from fear takes a thousand small reminders and choices. You have to choose it.
• Living free is worth the work. Doing the work to push past your fear and live big is worth it. I'm higher than a kite today. It's amazing.

To top off the night, I won.

It was a victory to muster the courage to walk into that bar. (Remember when I couldn't even click the link on The Moth website?) It was enough that I got on that stage. Now I get to move on to tell another story from the Guthrie Theater stage in October among the 10 winners of the other slams.

Many of you have emailed to ask how it went. A couple of Corporate Rebels surprised me by coming last night. (Thank you, Adam and Cheryl - You're the best!) I'll post the recording from the Moth in a few weeks.

Thanks to everyone who as emailed and held space and cheered. It means a lot to me.

I can't wait to hear about your triumph!

With rebel love,

Christina

P.S. Do you know someone with a dream (and the subsequent paralysis from fear)? Send them this newsletter. I hope my journey from terror to victory will inspire them to take the first step. They can join here.

Three Unsexy Ways to Realize Your Dreams

Time to read: 1:19.62 minutes

Happy New Year Corporate Rebels!

I hear a lot about people's dreams or people ask me how I have realized my dreams. If you follow my stuff, you know I'm a believer in magic. I'm also a believer in something a lot less sexy than magic. That is...

Discipline.

It's true that my clients get raises and promotions and get happier at work and in life (their dreams). It's true that I have the flexibility to travel and raise my own children while also having a fulfilling and meaningful career (my dreams). Many days, the path to realizing those dreams is as much discipline as it is magic.

It takes discipline to take a hard look at how you conduct yourself or the choices you make to evaluate if they align with what you want. You have to force yourself to have hard conversations that clean up old patterns and relationships. You sometimes have to stick your butt to your chair to write the report, create the development plan, or for me, today, produce this newsletter. There's nothing magic about making yourself do The Thing.

Here are three ways to stay disciplined about creating your dreams when you're tempted to get another cup of coffee, call the dentist, or talk to your cube-mates:

1. Remain true to your bigger commitments. That report is just a thing. This newsletter is just a thing. And that thing represents your service to your customers, your value of trust, and your love for your people. This one thing you have to do is part of a bigger picture that is made up of hundreds of "just a things."


2. Decide to start. It's pretty simple. Just decide you are going to do the thing and sit down to make yourself start. Once you start, it is much easier to keep going until you're finished.


3. Set up a reward. I'm a big fan of joy and fun so I reward myself all the time. Something like this works for me (dorky, I know), after you write your weekly newsletter, then you can make another cup of tea. (Maybe I should dream bigger. After you write, you get a diamond ring.)

Support and accountability also help you create your dreams. A few of you have reached out to tell me that all the January spots to talk with me are already filled. I opened a few more.

If you want to create a 2019 plan to get you on the path to what you want, let's talk! Choose a time here.

And now I get that cup of tea diamond ring!

With rebel warmth,

Christina

P.S. If you want to explore ways to create a plan for 2019, let's talk. I have a couple of step-by-step processes in my toolbox that will get you set up for a wonderful 2019. Choose a time to talk here.

P.P.S. Please share this link with your friends who want a plan for 2019. Just forward this email directly to them.