If You Think You Cant Change Course... Youre Right

You've heard the expression that some people see the glass as half full while others perceive the same glass to be half empty? Yesterday I had the opportunity to see this difference in perception in action.

My father and I drove to the airport to pick up my some family members visiting from Florida. It was 100 degrees and muggy. "Knowing" there wouldn't be any parking spaces close to the terminal, my father was inclined to head directly to the back lot where we'd be sure to find a space.

I, on the other hand, was inclined to start with the row closest to the terminal and work my way back. Since my father was literally in the driver's seat, he reluctantly agreed to check out the last row in the front lot. If we didn't find something there, he said, we'd proceed directly to the back lot. Not only did we find a spot, but as we were walking to the terminal we passed a primo front row space. His response? "It probably wouldn't have been there when we were looking."

In other words, I prefer to think that things will work out. My Dad presumes they will not. Not surprising, during his adult life my father held two jobs. He was horribly exploited in his first job and left only at my mother's constant urging. He stayed at his second job for over 30 years. In part, father's long job tenure has to do with that fact that he is a product of at time when there was a different set of rules regarding employer-employee loyalty. You got a good (or even a not so good) job and you stuck with it for life.

There is ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with staying in the same job or town or anything else for an extended period of time. My mother's family has lived in this same area of Massachusetts since the 1600s. My father's family came at the turn of the last century. I love it here in what is known as the Pioneer Valley and despite feeling tremendous pressure after graduating from college to go somewhere new, I have never had any desire to move anyplace else on a permanent basis.

When staying in one job or place too long IS cause for concern though, is when it is not driven by a sense of contentment but by the belief that things will not work out anyway, so why bother. A lousy attitude will kill a dream faster than just about anything else.


If you find yourself automatically driving to the back lot of life, maybe it's time to do an attitude check:

  • Do you see yourself as deserving of happiness?

  • Do you think things will probably work out for the best and if they don't, do you see that as an opportunity to try again?

  • Do you see yourself as the director of your life or as a bit player operating from someone else's script?

  • Do you think that life generally has it out for you and therefore it is hopeless to even try to change your life? Or do you see life as Helen Keller once described it as being, "an exciting adventure or nothing at all"?

Pessimists THINK a lot about changing course; unfortunately those with a negative attitude rarely ever act on their dreams. If you are prone to pessimism but really DO want to go after your dream of a more meaningful work/life, you may need to first practice viewing things from a positive perspective.

Moving from a pessimistic, hopeless view to an optimistic, hopeful one will not happen over night. It is a goal that must be worked on one day at a time. Start by taking one situation each day and trying to reframe it from a glass half-full perspective. Fake it if you have to. After a while you will find yourself readily being able to not only see the glass of life as half full, but enjoying a long, quenching drink from it as well.

When it comes to successfully changing course, attitude really is every thing. That's because as Henry Ford once put it, "If you think you can or if you think you can't, you're right."

"Off the beaten career path" consultant, Valerie Young, abandoned her corporate cubicle to become the Dreamer in Residence at http://www.ChangingCourse.com, offering free resources to help you discover your life mission and live it. Her career change tips have been cited The Wall Street Journal, USA Today Weekend, Redbook, Entrepreneur's Business Start Ups, and on-line at MSN, CareerBuilder, and iVillage.com. An expert on the Impostor Syndrome, she's presented her How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone Seems to Think You Are program to thousands of people.

More Resources

How to Crash - Proof Your Job Search
Think you have the speed, endurance, and know-how to fix what's broken? Bet not. The smartest people in the world are those who can leave their ego at the door, and know when its wise to seek help.
What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up? Something That Hasnt Been Invented Yet!
Most of us were brought up to study hard, get good grades, choose a "practical" college major, and strive for a "good job."Talk to a stranded midlife career-changer and you realize the game has changed.
Career Change: A Glittering Invitation To The Emotional Stalkers
As much as you are yearning for career-change, and as much as the trends actually favor it, just contemplating a shift is a glittering invitation to four emotional stalkers who love nothing better than to play a nasty game of team-tag at your personal expense. When you unmask these bandits -- even a little -- they begin to lose their emotional charge - leaving you free to more fully explore the opportunities to re-invent yourself.
Free Resume Examples: More Is Better
If you ever studied any probability theory in high school or college, you probably remember the marbles.Most introductory probability books talk about drawing different colored marbles out of a bag.
Creating Traffic Jams
It's hard to imagine why anyone would pick up a newspaper to find a job any more. With a seemingly endless array of career sites, mailing lists, corporate sites and newsgroups, job seekers have more options online than ever before.
Job or no Job: The Certainty of Uncertainty
Headline from AP via Yahoo News! January 11, 2005: "Chrysler Expects No Job Cuts in 2005, 2006." Headline from Detroit Free Press, January 12, 2005: "Chrysler Cuts 200 Hourly Workers.
The Pros and Cons of Telecommuting - As Seen Through The Eyes of a Seasoned Telecommuter
Janelle Delacorte has been happily answering calls for the Home Shopping Network and various infomercials since November 2004.Several nights out of the week she tucks the kids in to bed, turns around, takes 20 or so odd steps, and arrives at the office.
Careers-Changing Jobs: The Fantasy of the Ideal Job
Most people would agree that the concept of a job today is vastly different from that of 20 years ago. Organisations are changing at speed, technology has changed the face and pace of work, and globalisation is pushing every business to examine it's operations in a totally different context.
Ten Great Careers For Single Parents
The challenges of raising a child by yourself, whether you're a mother or father, can be very difficult. Add the burden of having to be out of the home for 40+ hours per week to work and raising a child at the same time can be nearly impossible.
The Top 10 Ways to Achieve Balance in Your Life
1. Define Success for YourselfClarify and write down what success means for you.
Does Your Career Change Itch or Burn?
Two weeks ago, I received a newsy email from a former client. Dan gave me the scoop on his life and new love, and ended by saying that while work had improved, he was feeling the itch again to go after career change.
How To Ask For A Pay Rise!
Negotiating a pay rise is not something many people do on a regular basis. By applying these keys you will be well positioned to improve your negotiation skills and feel more empowered when asking for a pay rise.
Become an LPN, the Fast Path to a Nursing Career
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) CareersLicensed Practical Nurses provide the most amount of direct patient care within the nursing category of healthcare. If you're interested in a healthcare career dealing directly with patients, becoming an LPN is a rewarding opportunity.
How To Take The Pain Out Of Performance Reviews
The Painful ApproachFor many years, "performance management" was of an annual event dreaded by both the management and the workforce. For a week or two every year the manager would virtually isolate himself and ponder the stack of review forms staring him in the face.
Career Moves: Take Charge of Your Life
Every day millions of people let their inner fears stop them from creating the life of their dreams. No one will deny that it is scary to step out of your comfort zone, but once you challenge your fear and take action, you can attain great things.
The Top 10 Ways to Manage Your Career
Many people in the last decade have experienced either a layoff or termination in their lives or the lives of somebody they know. While many of these people affected have experienced outplacement-consulting services, some have not and they may be in for a rude awakening - corporations no longer "take care of you".
How to Pick the Best Career For You , Part 2: From Exposure-to-Opportunity
Gain an audience by recognizing opportunityThere's a sexier method to salsa into a great career with less tripping and more flair. Look for problems to solve and create a personalized solution.
How You Can Find Opportunities For Foreign Language Proof Reading Work
For those who are fluent in another language, foreign language (ie non-English) proof reading can be a great source of income. It is a difficult area for those who are not fluent to get into though.
Choose Your References Wisely!
So, you need to submit employment references. A simple task, right? Sure, you could contact three of your closest friends and ask them to be your references.
How To Write The Perfect Cover Letter: Be Brief--And Be Gone!
The best cover letters are 'one-page wonders.' Why? Because they suit today's busy employers who are already overloaded and often overwhelmed.

More Careers & Employment Information:

Related Articles

You Never Get A Second Chance To Make A First Impression
There is no easy way to define exactly what editors, publishers, PR managers, non-profit directors, advertising executives, and other industry professionals want from writers. There are no written guidelines, standard requirements, or official specifications that apply to writing jobs across the board.
How to Be Prepared for a Layoff
If you are concerned that your company might be planning a layoff, your best course of action is to be prepared. Employees often see warning signs that their jobs may be at risk.
Bartending School Online- Earn Your Bartender Training From Home
Many young adults flock to bars, lounges and clubs on a weekly basis. They spend hundreds sometimes thousands of dollars on entertaining themselves and their friends.
Everyone Should Have a RED BALL in the Job Search
May I explain what about what a red ball means to me and how I counsel others as a career coach.A RED BALL is a symbol of what you can do and want, especially in a job search.
How To Type A Resume For Employers
Learning how to type a resume may feel like a daunting task. Even the most affluent writers have asked themselves, how to type a mind-blowing resume.
Common Résumé Mistakes
Using a general résumé.DON'T DO IT! You cannot successfully use the same résumé to apply to several different jobs.
Assess Your Transferable Skills
One of the most important parts of a job search is assessing your Transferable skills. These are skills which you can use in other jobs such as: Communication, Information Management, Human Services, Managerial, Manual/Physical Labour, Personal Attributes, Organization.
The Dog Days of Job Hunting
Does a headline like this scare you? it should because the consolidation is not over yet.Don't despair just because we are in the "dog days" of job hunting there are action items you can do now to keep yourself primed for.
Benefits of Mystery Shopping For Secret Shoppers
Mystery shoppers are people who are hired to scrutinize employees, products and customer services of any organization. The benefits that they get from mystery shopping are:They enjoy doing a job that's fun and frolic.
The Squirrel Effect
An industrious black-tailed ground squirrel has his home beneath a stump not far from my office window. I've been watching him squirrel away provisions for winter.
Career Job Satisfaction - Get Off the Treadmill - Exit Your Rat Race!
Get Off the Treadmill - Exit Your Rat Race!We can all get in a rut from time to time. Who hasn't had a moment in their lives where you've asked yourself the question: "Why am I doing this?" Whether it's who you've become, the business you are in, your career, relationships, where you live or all of the above - sometimes you realise you're just not where you want to be - and you're not sure how you got there! It sure feels like your own version of a rat race though.
Find Those People
"The Emperor's New Clothes" was a favorite childhood story of mine. It made me laugh.
Success at Work: Techniques: Computer Literacy
It's hard to believe that there are people in today's workforce who don't know how to use a computer. In today's society, being computer illiterate is equivalent to being functionally illiterate.
What Students and Parents MUST Know about Student Loans
A student loan helps you get through college. Then youcome out into a high-paying career.
Why You Should Never Complain About Former Bosses
You're at a job interview. You're doing great, answering questions left and right.
Writing A Great Resume, Part 1
Need a great resume to land that great job coming up? We are going to learn to create an eye-catching resume, using Microsoft Word.First, you need to collect all the information you will need to complete your Resume (dates of employment, education dates.
Should You Make A Career Decision Based Upon A Career Quiz?
Q. I'm about to graduate High School and I don't know what I want to be "when I grow up".
Mastering The Lunch Interview
Interviews can be nerve-racking, brain-draining, headache-inducingexperiences. These days, recruiters have found a way to make theinterview even more difficult by combining the experience with ameal.
Feng Shui Your Desk for Career Success
Have you used feng shui around your desk? It's a great way to "test drive" feng shui, to see how well it works for you.In feng shui, we work with a 3x3 grid called a bagua (said "bagg-wahh").
How to Terminate an Employee and Live to Tell the Tale
1. Employee Backdrop in AustraliaThe whole arena of Industrial Relations and the interaction between employer and employee is conducted within the complex framework of various statutes, state and federal, regulations and rulings and common law.