Rob, that would mean you have ten interviews in 14 days…are you sure that’s what you want?
To this day, I can’t believe I had ten interviews in just two weeks—it felt like a whirlwind mini-MBA. The people I met, the missions they pursued, and the coast-to-coast conversations made every moment exhilarating. My secret weapon? An ironclad personal mantra that my wife and I crafted together. “Family together.”
A decade ago, I left Active Duty Air Force as a Captain, voluntarily separating to dedicate more time to my wife and children. Fast forward to two weeks ago when I found myself laid off and navigating the waters of job hunting. With an outpouring of support from friends, colleagues, and my network, I quickly realized that I hadn’t embarked on a job search in ten long years. Seeing many of my friends and network members recently impacted by job losses, I felt compelled to share my insights on how a personally crafted mantra can help navigate these tumultuous times.
🔹 Embracing Vulnerability in the Job Search
Being laid off can be a humbling experience, and it’s essential to acknowledge the vulnerability that comes with it. However, it’s also an opportunity for growth and self-discovery. As Brené Brown states, “Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.” Deal with your emotions, do not dismiss them but eventually, you have to pick yourself up and move forward.
🔹 The Power of a Personal Mantra Statement
To navigate my job search effectively, I turned to the idea of crafting a personal mantra statement. This mantra serves as a guiding compass, reflecting my core values, passions, and goals. As Tony Robbins asserts, “Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”
🔹 Filtering Opportunities with Your Mantra: A Project Manager’s Journey
Let’s imagine a project manager named Alex, whose personal mantra statement is “Empower others through innovation and collaboration.” As Alex browses #LinkedIn, they come across three job opportunities:
Best-Case Scenario: A role at a tech company focused on developing innovative solutions to empower underprivileged communities. This position aligns perfectly with Alex’s mantra, as it combines innovation and collaboration to make a meaningful impact.
Middle Ground: A project manager role at a marketing agency that values collaboration but doesn’t have a strong focus on innovation. While this opportunity aligns with part of Alex’s mantra, they may need to seek ways to incorporate innovation within the role to feel more fulfilled.
Not Meeting Values: A position at a company that prioritizes efficiency and cost-cutting over collaboration and innovation. This role clearly doesn’t align with Alex’s mantra, and they would likely feel unsatisfied in this position.
Using their personal mantra statement, Alex can evaluate each opportunity and make an informed decision based on how well the roles align with their values and passions.
🔹 Balancing Trade-offs and Priorities
Recognizing that #jobsatisfaction often involves #tradeoffs is crucial. Your mantra statement can help you understand these trade-offs and prioritize opportunities based on your current situation. For example, in the case of Alex, the project manager, their mantra statement can guide decisions about pay, work location, and other factors.
Alex might be willing to accept lower pay and a less desirable location because the job aligns with their mantra statement, and they value the mission of the company. On the other hand, if a job doesn’t fulfill their mantra statement, they might only consider it if the pay is significantly higher. However, it’s important to remember that while higher pay can be appealing, it may not lead to long-term job satisfaction if the role doesn’t align with your passions. Over time, this misalignment could result in decreased performance or negatively impact your mental health. Take it from a guy who’s ‘been there, done that’—it is totally not worth it.
By using your mantra statement as a tool for evaluating trade-offs, you can make informed decisions about which #opportunities2023 to pursue and how they align with your #values and #passions. As Oprah Winfrey wisely put it, “You can have it all. Just not all at once.”
Conclusion:
Embrace the power of a personal mantra statement in your job search, and allow it to guide you through the vulnerable journey towards a more meaningful and fulfilling career. Remember, as Richard Branson encourages, “If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later!”
So, you might be asking yourself, “Rob, what is your mantra for this next chapter in your life?” Inspired by Matthew 5:16, my mantra is “Let your light shine before others.” This personal mantra will continue to guide me in my career, ensuring that I prioritize my values, passions, and goals.
If you enjoyed this newsletter and would like to read more “Warzone to Boardroom,” content sign up at www.glightleaders.com, and of course here on LinkedIn. If this article inspired you to develop your own personal mantra, I created a Mantra step-by-step creation guide using #johnmaxwell principles: https://equable-mail-034.notion.site/John-Maxwell-s-Steps-to-your-Mantra-3cea2cfbdb5d4c48bcd05cbcce016143
Stay tuned to find out how I navigated interviewing for those ten job offers! 😲