Clues to It

Take The Pressure Off

She was 27 years old and the pressure conveyed during our phone conversation was palpable.  Dissatisfied with her current job, she had a strong feeling she was meant for greater things but just hadn’t been able to put her finger on it yet.

Could I help her identify “it”?  Actually, it was more like IT.  Two letters that loomed large and pressed impatiently for the answer.

The first thing I asked her to do was to begin noticing what we called “Clues to It”.  This approach took the pressure off immediately and is relevant whether you’re a college graduate looking for your first job, a business owner trying to define your niche market, or a career veteran contemplating your next role or ideal retirement.

Give yourself a little time to collect the pieces, rather than try hard to solve the whole puzzle at once.

Right Under Your Nose

Clues come in many forms.  For instance, if you are contemplating your ideal job, start paying attention to what you enjoy the most about your current job, as well as what you may dislike.  Which types of projects over time have held your interest the most?  What have you learned from failures or frustrations?  These are all clues.  What do people who know you well say to you?  Clues, clues!  What inspires you?  Is there an idea you’ve dismissed over the years that keeps coming back to you?

Gather The Clues

To collect clues, become a great questioner.  Observe, clip articles or images, jot down words.  Get curious.  Notice possible clues – the obvious and the not so obvious.  Gathering the clues means it is okay for your vision to have some blanks in it.  The blanks are where creative opportunity and wonderful surprises are.

When do the clues add up?  When do you have enough to go on?  We’ll tackle that in the next issue.  In the meantime, do some sleuthing and see what you find.