Negativity is everywhere…
Sadly, this is the honest truth…
We are surrounded by people who always see the glass half-empty.
For people like me who are dreamers and try to see the good side of things, it is exhausting.
Always having to explain our side of things or defend the reasons why we are enthusiastic to tackle the challenges before us.
Seeing someone actively diminish another person’s drive, enthusiasm, and joy for the future astonishes me.
Yes, they are projecting their own insecurity on us.
Yes, they might want to protect us from falling short or of possible pains that could come with the projects or actions we will perform.
But the truth is:
Your life is your own and you decide what you want to do with it.
Not your boss…
Not your colleagues…
Not your parents…
Not your spouse…
You.
Happiness is a mindset
Everybody faces obstacles, some harder than others to surpass.
But the battle starts in our own mind.
We cannot control everything that happens to us or how people around us behave.
But we can control our reactions, whom we surround ourselves with and the system we put in place to optimize our chances to achieve the results we want for our future.
I had to learn the hard way
When I first started my career, I stood still for years in a job I did not like waiting for a break.
I was complaining daily about decisions that others took and impacted my life.
Ask my wife and she can confirm that I brought work home and not in a good way.
I thought that, if I worked hard enough, somebody would give me a break.
That somebody else would make my life at work better.
Growing up, I was taught that hard work would always be rewarded. But when I spent years in the same job waiting for recognition, I realized that hard work alone isn’t enough. You also need visibility, strategy and self-reflection.
One of the Best Decisions of My Life
I reached a breaking point. The stress, the negativity, and feeling stuck in my career were affecting my mental health and my family. I knew something had to change, so I made a bold decision: I took control of my future and enrolled in an MBA program.
The MBA itself is not the best decision.
Taking control of my narrative was.
The MBA was the first tool I added to my toolbox to change my path forward.
It took five years, part-time, with two young children (my boys were 2 and 4 when I started) and a full-time job (about 50 hours per week plus about 8 hours of commute) to complete it.
You will say: Five years is a long time.
And you are right, it is.
It came with a lot of sacrifices and support needed from my wife to handle life at home while I was working to improve my future.
But it opened the doors to something better.
And this was the goal… to be happy at work and most important, at home.
Improving your situation has a price but it is up to you, and you alone, to decide if the price paid is worth it.
A course that modified my future
Out of all the MBA courses I took, one in particular transformed my career: a simple 1-credit course called Career Management. I thought it would be a waste of time filled with personality tests, generic career advice but it turned out to be a game changer.
Why?
Because we had to put on paper our 1,3,5-year plan.
We had to think about our future:
- What were the next steps
- How we would reach it
- What skills will we need to get to the next level
This assignment created the vision.
I knew what I wanted and how to get there…in theory.
So, from this moment forward, I had two critical elements for success:
Vision and momentum.
I saw the next steps of my career and decided that I wanted to grow and fulfill my vision of my future.
Is it the same as I first foreseen during the class?
Of course, not…
But I know today that I am on the right track.
You oversee your future
Feeling unhappy at work?
Start with these three steps:
- Self-Assessment: Ask yourself: What do I love? What drains my energy? What do I want in 5 years?
- Skill-building: Find a skill that could open doors
- Networking: Connect with people who have made similar transitions. Reach out on LinkedIn, join industry groups and attend relevant events.
Yes, these changes will take you out of your comfort zone
Yes, you may fail
But you owe it to yourself to try.
If not, one day, you will look back at your life with regrets and say:
What if?
You’ve got this
Trust your gut and find what makes you happy.
Have you ever made a bold career move?
Discover the 5 Must-Ask Questions for Happy Teams
Do you want to better understand what motivates your team members and could help you create a happy team? My practical guide, 5 Must-Ask Questions for Happy Teams, is designed to provide you with simple and effective tools to:
- Create a climate of trust within your team
- Identify the true needs and aspirations of your employees
- Encourage meaningful conversations that foster collaboration
- Boost engagement and collective performance
- Anticipate and resolve challenges before they become obstacles
Carl-Michael Tessier M. Sc., MBA
Coach in high-performance team development and tailor-made support
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