Summer has arrived – three cheers (and 4 questions)!
Whatever your choice of summer time fun and relaxation, I have a suggestion – use some of those free mental moments to think about the current state of your career and “what’s next”. Invest some time now in order to help you make your career take off when Labor Day arrives. 
While getting some sun at Marconi Beach…
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“Am I on the right career path? Do I love my work?”
If you can easily answer this question then skip the rest of this paragraph. If you can’t – have you built your personal score card? What are your motivators? Financial, emotional, prestige, integrity? What do you truly value? If you haven’t explicitly defined what you value how can you know if you are achieving what matters most to you? While riding the ferry to the Vineyard…
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“What are my top strengths – when someone at work seeks me out, why do they do so?”
Make sure you not only know your signature talents, but that you have taken the time to package your key strengths so that they can be easily seen and understood by everyone. You may find new opportunities in your current workplace simply by doing more of what you love doing now.
While you await the beginning of the performance at Jacob’s Pillow in the Berkshires…
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“Why do I continue to sabotage myself by doing _______ (fill in the blank)?”
Answering this one may require the assistance of someone whom you trust completely, like an executive coach, to provide some honest feedback – something we should get at work, but rarely do. What blind spot of yours trips you up time after time? (Nobody gets away clear on this one – and by definition we need help to identify blind spots!) If you don’t know it’s a problem you won’t work to fix it. We all have things to fix!
As the birds wake you in your tent at Lake St. Catherine…
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“It’s June 2018 and I’m in this exact spot – I’m the most fulfilled I’ve ever been at work. What am I doing and how did I get to this point in my career?” (Imagine you are writing a speech to people who are important to you.)
Putting your mind into the future and looking back (appreciative inquiry) is a simple yet powerful tool that helps us leave behind the minutia of the present and to orient our thinking to the longer term and the big picture. And don’t forget to have a pencil and paper handy – having your ideas written down will help when you are back at work and up to your eyeballs with “to do’s”!
If you need help with any these questions, you may need an executive coach. Already have one? Great! If not – make getting one a priority when you get back from your summertime fun! Enjoy!
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