The Real Career Path | Prospect | The Subtle Art
Hello there! Welcome to my weekly LEAPS.
You’re receiving this email because you subscribed to my weekly Wednesday feature or our mailing list. Every Wednesday, I share 5 things using our LEAPS approach:
Learn: something new or an idea
Energy: an energy (good or bad) word and it’s meaning
Action: something to do
Processing: a question to consider
Shout out: something or someone that I want to celebrate or acknowledge
LEARN
Something Worth Sharing
The Real Career Path
We are just preparing for another of our children to fly off on a next adventure; the timing collides with our youngest child also finishing full-time education. These things have led to a fair amount of discussion in our house about futures and plans. In our daughter’s case, her school have gone to great lengths to steer her in a certain direction - that of university, something she is adamant is not her chosen path.
It seems to me that our society and communities are built on people being strongly encouraged to make choices and stick to them without any real experience or knowledge. I personally remember having to explain to teachers at school what my ideal career was along with my further education plan. I was 18 years old and what on earth did I know? (perhaps a little more than the batsh*t crazy software they used as ‘careers advice’!).
Well, I ended up stumbling into a “temporary” job in our family’s business that quickly turned into a 16 year career that saw me eventually take over the company and do a Management Buy Out. Then, in 2009 I heartbreakingly closed that business due to the recession - this saw me launch my first ‘official’ business*; working with other people’s family businesses. As part of that, I threw myself into research and continuing to develop a methodology that later became The GLAS Method®. The research I did was often recorded visually, this was to end up becoming VisualSynopsis.com. These visuals have been spread across the globe and opened up endless opportunities. The point is, none of my real career path could have been a) known by me when I was at school, b) didn’t exist as a ‘career’, and c) would have been impossible without the series of bizarre dots I’ve managed to connect together - as Steve Jobs once said.
Many entrepreneurs will share similar stories of their career path being non-linear, ever-changing, and full of ups and downs, much resilience and many failures. Whatever you’re doing now, if you love it - great! But, it’s likely that you won’t always be doing it, and you certainly don’t have to if you don’t want to!
*I always say that I started my first business when I was 10, followed by another two before the age of 16.
ENERGY
An emotion or energy; a stand-out word / s
Prospect
Continuing with the ‘career’ theme, the word PROSPECT came to mind - as in ‘what are your prospects?’.
The word originates from Latin prospicere meaning "look out on, look forward". It is formed from PRO "forward" + SPECERE "look at". When we consider careers, the question of ‘what are you prospects?’ may as well be accompanied with a crystal ball given none of us knows what lies ahead! All you can guarantee is your mindset and attitude - and what better to build on if it’s determined?
ACTION
Something small that you can do that might make a big difference
Improve Yourself
So much is out of our control in life, but the one thing that is in our control is ourself. Is there one thing you can improve in yourself? This might be dressing differently, exercising, changing what you consume (food, alcohol or media!), start resting more, or start reading each day.
PROCESSING
A question to think about and consider (you can discuss this with someone or write your thoughts down)
“What and who has been the most influential in my career so far?”
You’ve probably spotted the theme…so, let’s stick with it for your processing question. What has been the most influential thing in your career? I appreciate for many people this will could also be ‘who’ as an influence. Then see if you can explore in what ways these things have influenced you. So often we can think of good and bad things, but all being significant to where we are now.
I’d love for you to send me your own stories / thoughts about this. Drop me a line with your answer / thoughts on this question
SHOUT OUT
Who / what I think deserves recognition - my gratitude or to be celebrated.
Time Out
Now, you can take this in a few ways, but this week I’m shouting out “time out”. Originally I was thinking of it in terms of taking a break and vacations (or a change of scenery at least!), but using a ‘time out’ when struggling with decision-making, coming up with new ideas and concepts, during heated moments etc. can also be a great strategy. Taking a ‘time out’ is brilliant for regrouping, resting and gaining a new perspective!
BONUS GIFT FOR YOU
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The artwork featured in this section is all copyrighted and for private use only. If you wish to use these online, in blogs / features or in presentations etc - we are happy to discuss licences. Please get in touch. The downloads do not have watermarks.
If you’d like to discuss having your ideas, business or culture captured visually - you can also let me know via email.
LEAPS is a process used by our team and clients all the time - and even my own family on a daily basis.
I’ll be sharing a set of LEAPS each week with you and encourage you to do your own version:
L: what have you learned?
E: what’s your energy / feeling word
A: what’s one thing you need to do?
P: what are you thinking / processing?
S: who or what can you shout out?
