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Further
Reading ...
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Internet Communication Methods - Sharon Housley
How do we keep Internet communication simple? Let's start by taking a look at the different methods used to communicate on the web. It is important to understand the nuances and benefits of the different forms. Email This is the most popular...
Time to Play - Deborah Carraro
One of the biggest challenges faced by solo-entrepreneurs is scheduling personal time - time away from the business. It's particularly challenging when you're first starting your business. Your natural impulse is to throw everything you have into...
Ten Reasons Why People Don't Buy From You - Dan Brown
Here's ten simple yet POWERFUL ideas for you to reflect on. This will help you adjust your marketing strategies...which will have a GREAT effect on everything you sell. 1. You don't make people feel safe when they order. Remind people that they...
7 Financial Strategies for Transitioning from Salaried to Solo - Nina Ham
Copyright 2005 Success from the Inside Out A 40’s something woman was talking to me the other day about her growing sense of frustration with “working for someone else” and her longing to “do my own thing, drive my own wagon”. But, she said with...
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Lose your career and find your new life
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Written By:
Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D.
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I hear from many people who feel trapped in a career after fifteen or twenty happy, productive years. It's been a good ride, they say, but now it's time to jump off the train. They want to fulfill a creative dream, recover from burnout or just try something new. The old challenge is now a "been there, done that."
Midlife career change is both easier and harder than starting out in the world of work. Change is easier because you have resources to grease the rails. You have savings, equity in your house, and a retirement fund. More important, you have acquired skills, contacts and networks. You may be able to use the resources of your current employer to develop new skills.
On the other hand, change is hard because you have invested in your career identity. People feel stressed when their identity is interrupted through a move, career change or other life transition.
Often people focus only on the skills and values of their new careers, but ignore the impact on identity. Yet I have seen people falter and give up on new careers because they were uncomfortable with the new way they had to define themselves. Just saying, "I am…" creates a new reality.
At the same time, once you begin to acquire a new identity, you increase your risk. It will be more difficult to return to a former career or job once you have begun to enjoy a new identity. And your former colleagues will see you differently.
There are three components to identity.
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Self concept is expressed when you fill out a series of "I am" statements. You think of yourself as a father, country club member, and banker.
Social identity is the way others view you. People treat you differently if you're a bank manager or if you're starting a new e-business in a field they've never heard of. Think about how you feel when you're introduced at parties as, "This is Mary. She is a…"
Paper identity is the way you're regarded by the businesses and professionals you deal with. When you have a job, it is easy to get credit and a premium checking out. When you change careers, especially if you start your own business, you may be on shakier ground.
Your response to a new identity will be unique: "After being on my own, I went back to a corporate job. When we got the United Way forms, it hit me. I was now an employee. It didn't feel good." Others will find the same world liberating: "No more chasing after clients -- and I love the pension contributions!"
I encourage career changers to include a plan for identity change, as a way to help smooth the journey.
About the Author
Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D. author, career coach, speaker
Career Freedom: Your survival strategy for the new millenium
Customer Service for Coaches and other Professionals
http://www.movinglady.com/ebooks.html
Career Freedom Ezine mailto:subscribe@movinglady.com
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How To Start A Business At Home And Make Big Bucks - Dirk Wagner
Nowadays, it's the fact that more and more people have problems reaching their goals with just one source of income. Thus, these people are looking for a chance to earn additional money and often their result is, starting their own extra-income...
Are You a Trendsetter or Someone Who Will be Left Behind? - Kathleen Gage
Recently, I had a conversation with a friend in the San Francisco Bay Area who has owned her business for nearly 30 years. After catching up on the family and all our pets, we ended up talking about business. Makes sense since years ago we...
Adjustable Rate Mortgages Offer Alternatives For Home Buyers - W Troy Swezey
When looking for a mortgage to meet your needs, consider these key questions: Is your income expected to increase in the coming years? How long do you plan to live in your new home? And, which mortgage will provide the lowest interest rate? ...
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