The tear bucket of the working world is filling up at a tremendous speed. It is, in fact, overflowing. Why all the tears? Today, we’re elaborating on all the career moves that maketh professional murder. The good and the bad news is it’s an astoundingly frequent occurrence, much more frequent than one might think. And, in a sense, it can provide comfort. “It’s not just me. It’s literally everyone.” – In today’s gladiator-like professional arena, career sustainability is everything. How do we accomplish it? What is impeding our progress? Are we being utterly oblivious to our own faults? It’s time to shed all the distastefully outdated beliefs about career success passed down for generations. Let’s talk about all the unconscious habits that stifle our professional growth. Want to learn more about hidden career killers? Well, read on.
Are you a tortoise?
Do you stick your neck out when it counts? Let’s break this down; from a psychological perspective, a “trauma survivor” (robbery, car crash, etc.) is more likely to build resilience and pursue safety risks than someone who hasn’t experienced it. An abrupt disconnection from the safety net can actually help our professional struggles. And, surely, we’re not saying – please, put in the effort and startle yourself to death; we’re merely pointing out that seeking safety in work routines and having a tendency to avoid all things unfamiliar can impede one’s growth. Stop being a cereal box; practice open-mindedness. The job market no longer accommodates squares and linear-oriented individuals. Growth happens beyond the tangible, beyond the comfort zone. If you stick your neck out, you just might succeed. Take (calculated) risks.
Mayday Mayday syndrome
If we were to scrutinize positivity’s and negativity’s momentum cells under a microscope, the prize for perseverance would go to – drumroll, please – the negative spectrum, of course. Our negative thought/emotion pattern is far more persistent than our utopian fantasy world, meaning we tend to underestimate our exceptional abilities and lean more toward the “what if” scenario. Doubt and fear kick in, and we find ourselves hyperbolizing job threats. Cataclysm, four riders of the apocalypse, and all that jazz derail us from having a positive outlook and keep us from believing in our own capacities. Moving experts from statetostatemove.com share: “Most of our clients are young professionals moving cross country due to better job opportunities.” Better job opportunities or a chronic lack of self-belief? Negative hard wiring may grant us safety, but does it work for us in the workplace? Face your fears. Grow.
Behavioral nukes
Workplaces are modern-day minefields; triggers are to be found (and interpreted as such) pretty much everywhere we look. Our biases and mechanisms often cause an avalanche, even for a good reason. Often enough, as tolerable as we perceive ourselves to be, we erupt unexpectedly (a reflex reaction to unjust external stimuli) when confronted by various scenarios that we deem disrespectful, whether it be our colleagues’ selfish behavior, feeling excluded, or being wrongly accused or entirely ignored by our team. “Why don’t I have a say?” The ugly duckling syndrome hits, and nukes are ready for launch. Having an awareness of these triggers before all behavioral hell breaks loose (that could potentially cost us our careers) is absolutely paramount. So, hit the breaks. Raise your awareness and approach judgment, criticism, fears, and other hidden career killers in a mature manner. Remember, it’s never personal. Every man for himself.
You don’t have to prove anything
Willingly or subconsciously, we all make an effort. Why? Because we like to be liked. We love it. Most importantly, we need it. Our entire self-worth rides on our ability to “sell the self”. When we’re new to the job, making meaningful connections and earning respect from our superiors (and peers alike) becomes a top priority. “Hey. Look at me. I’m smart, dedicated, a team player, innovative, funny, and exquisitely multilayered. Hey. Hey? Anyone?) And, just like that – we have a career killer on our hands. Nobody nods at our eagerness. – Nobody. It’s an object of collective detestation. The perceived effort becomes a dangerous playground, and trying too hard to be interesting invites negative conclusions and prejudice; you will most likely be perceived as an egotistical maniac haunted by inexplicably grandiose desperation.
If all falls through, you can always try your luck somewhere else; maybe search for the best Florida cities for job opportunities; hands down, there are countless great places in the Sunshine State. However, remember: no matter your earthly coordinate, you cannot escape your career-killer potential. Unless you work on it; relentlessly.
“I got this”
The chances are, you don’t. You simply don’t. Although youth inherently implies perpetual and flawless motion (or, in Latin: “perpetuum mobile”), multitasking is a definite career killer. Shocking, we know. While many believe multitasking is their express train to career liftoff and sustainable success, science humbly begs to differ. The truth is, when we bounce between multiple tasks all at once, in actuality, we are forcing our neurons to keep reshifting the focus (without ever charging and unleashing our absolute potential), and with each micro recoil, our cognitive capacities and productivity decrease drastically – up to staggering 40%. In other words, multitasking leaves a person feeling oversaturated, and their quality and efficiency outcome well under the goal line. Additionally, it fragments our reasoning and thinking capabilities and leaves no room for filtering out irrelevant data, all leading to mental fatigue.
As counterintuitive as it may seem, the solution to this potential career threat is slowing down. You’re guaranteed to be more efficient and productive one at a time.
Final words
There are innumerable hidden career killers lurking around the corner, waiting for their cue. Don’t let them get you. Practice self-care; take time out of the daily grind and give your mind and body what it desperately needs – some peace and quiet. If you want to learn more about maximizing your career potential, visit Findmino.com, the free go-to source for career exploration of the web.