Right Attitudes

Ideas for Impact

Personal Growth

What’s Next When You Get Snubbed for a Promotion

By Leave a Comment

What's the Plan After Being Overlooked for a Promotion? Feeling passed over for a promotion hits hard, but how you handle it makes all the difference.

Sure, you might want to unleash some frustration on your boss or resort to sticking pins in a voodoo doll resembling them.

Set a Clear Path to Reach Your Career Goals

Take a breather and allow yourself to recover from the setback, but don’t let self-pity take control. It’s normal to experience moments of low spirits, but ensure it doesn’t evolve into an ongoing cycle of self-pity.

Circle back to your boss and ask straight up, “What do I need to do for that next promotion?” Keep it simple. Collaborate on a plan. If you’re lucky, you’ll both be on the same page, paving the way for future success.

Your boss might promise to make things right, but don’t get your hopes up. Companies, especially HR, have a reputation for dropping the ball.

Get Advice from a Supportive Mentor

A supportive mentor brings valuable perspective, insight, and guidance to help navigate the situation constructively. They might suggest that perhaps you weren’t quite ready for that promotion, or maybe you pushed too hard or inadvertently rubbed someone the wrong way.

Alternatively, it could be that the right people simply haven’t noticed you yet. Building key relationships is crucial for climbing the career ladder, so investing time in nurturing those connections is essential advice your mentor might offer.

If you’re feeling stuck, it might be time to explore other options, especially if your current job isn’t aligning with your long-term career goals. But remember, jumping ship isn’t always the quick fix. Dealing with promotion issues or performance setbacks in a familiar environment can be easier than starting anew, where you have to prove yourself from scratch and navigate new dynamics.

Idea for Impact: Own Your Path to Promotion

There’s a big difference between not getting what you want and not getting what you’ve earned. When you’re aiming for something but haven’t secured it yet, it’s up to you to figure out the steps needed to make it happen.

Wondering what to read next?

  1. Don’t Use Personality Assessments to Sort the Talented from the Less Talented
  2. Five Questions to Keep Your Job from Driving You Nuts
  3. Before Jumping Ship, Consider This
  4. What Every Manager Should Know Why Generation Y Quits
  5. Five Questions to Spark Your Career Move

5 Reasons Why You Should “Go For It”

By Leave a Comment

Rather than wallowing, hesitating, and wasting time agonizing over choices, it’s crucial to take action:

  1. Escape comfort’s embrace; you’ll have more to gain and less to lose.
  2. Life’s brevity echoes with unspoken desires. Dreams find their roots in uncharted territories.
  3. Unfettered by opinions, discover your inner strength. Pursuing your passions increases the likelihood of success.
  4. Embrace the journey, bidding doubts farewell. Love-driven pursuits pave the way to success. Adaptability allows for course corrections.
  5. Life’s treasures lie beyond the known; even in the worst case, a participation certificate awaits. The only things you will regret in the future are the things you don’t do today.

Idea for Impact: True greatness emerges through risk and venture.

Wondering what to read next?

  1. What Are You So Afraid Of? // Summary of Susan Jeffers’s ‘Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway’
  2. How to Turn Your Fears into Fuel
  3. Some Worry is Useful
  4. How to … Overcome Your Limiting Beliefs
  5. Big Shifts Start Small—One Change at a Time

From Passion to Pragmatism: An Acceptable, Good Career

By Leave a Comment

From Passion to Pragmatism: An Acceptable, Good Career Career contentment doesn’t always require turning passion into a full-time job. (Dream careers often bring fierce competition and potential low pay or high stress.)

Many fulfilled professionals find contentment in roles they may not love entirely, but they value meaningful work, recognition, fair compensation, and a pleasant environment. Some discover situational passion within their work by aligning job tasks with their interests and strengths. For example, a passion for graphic design when in a manufacturing role can lead to creating visually appealing digital metrics.

Idea for Impact: Opting for a acceptable, tolerable even, content-filled career allows you to pursue passions as hobbies while ensuring financial security and professional contentment.

Wondering what to read next?

  1. The Career-Altering Question: Generalist or Specialist?
  2. What’s Next When You Get Snubbed for a Promotion
  3. Risk More, Risk Earlier
  4. “Follow Your Passion” Is Terrible Career Advice
  5. Transient by Choice: Why Gen Z Is Renting More

How to … Overcome Your Limiting Beliefs

By Leave a Comment

Your beliefs, rather than your perceived lack of ability, could be the most significant hindrance between your life and the life you want to live. Sadly, self-talk is endless; the more you engage the negative narratives running through your head, the more you’ll abide by them.

Whenever you’re plagued by self-limiting beliefs, gather evidence against them, reframe them, and oppugn them. Scour your brain for real-life examples that debunk the limiting beliefs. For instance, if addressing the self-limiting belief “I am not qualified,” think of as many happenings as possible that you earlier thought you weren’t qualified for—but went on to achieve anyway. These could include being offered a dream job, passing an exam you feared was above your level or showing up when you didn’t think you could.

Idea for Impact: Over time, make a concerted effort to challenge deep-rooted core beliefs by testing them to see if they’re valid. You’ll develop the mental resilience needed to crush the self-limiting beliefs that deter you from reaching your potential.

Wondering what to read next?

  1. What Are You So Afraid Of? // Summary of Susan Jeffers’s ‘Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway’
  2. Nothing Like a Word of Encouragement to Provide a Lift
  3. How to Turn Your Fears into Fuel
  4. How to Face Your Fear and Move Forward
  5. How to … Change Your Life When Nothing Seems to be Going Your Way

Don’t Let the Self-Proclaimed Productivity Pundits Shame You

By Leave a Comment

Productivity advice often relies on shame and condescension, presented as tough love or oversimplified “do as I do” remedies. In a shame-based approach, disorder and confusion are viewed as personal failings, leaving individuals solely to blame.

Most people seek coaches to discard or change certain aspects of themselves. The coach’s role is to help individuals recognize and overcome their fear, self-judgment, and embarrassment.

However, shame is not an effective motivator. Effective coaches instead promote self-compassion and encourage individuals to learn about themselves. This allows them to release the constraints and burdens that have hindered their productivity and prevented them from feeling proud of their achievements.

Idea for Impact: Shame undermines emotional well-being and reinforces negative self-perceptions of being ineffective. Instead, appealing to understanding and self-compassion can lead to significant behavioral breakthroughs.

Wondering what to read next?

  1. Get Everything Out of Your Head
  2. How Thought-Stopping Can Help You Overcome Negative Thinking and Get Unstuck
  3. Shun the Shadows of Self-Tyranny
  4. Cope with Anxiety and Stop Obsessive Worrying by Creating a Worry Box
  5. Expressive Writing Can Help You Heal

Your time is far from being wasted!

By Leave a Comment

You’re not just idly passing the hours. Absolutely not!

Every single moment that has brought you to this point has been a skilled artist, shaping and refining you into the extraordinary individual you are today.

Think of it as a magnificent preparation, a strong base upon which the most incredible experiences will soon unfold.

These moments are like booming speakers turned up to the max, magnifying the brilliance that awaits you.

Don’t worry, because all time spent, even in moments of rest and recovery, is not a futile pursuit. On the contrary, it is an absolute necessity, a secret ingredient that adds flavor to the delightful feast that lies ahead. Embrace the journey.

Wondering what to read next?

  1. Howard Gardner’s Five Minds for the Future // Books in Brief
  2. This is Yoga for the Brain: Multidisciplinary Learning
  3. Four Ideas for Business Improvement Ideas
  4. Wide Minds, Bright Ideas: Book Summary of ‘Range: Why Generalists Triumph’ by David Epstein
  5. Looking for Important Skills to Develop?

Book Summary of ‘Yeah, No. Not Happening’: Karen Karbo on Rejecting the Pursuit of Perfection’s Snare

By Leave a Comment

'Yeah No Not Happening' by Karen Karbo (ISBN 0062945548) Karen Karbo’s book Yeah, No. Not Happening (2020) is titled after a powerful mantra she uses to break free from the relentless pursuit of getting better. Karbo calls attention to a significant tragedy of our time: we spend most of our lives striving for self-improvement and setting ourselves up for failure when, in reality, we are often content just as we are.

We don’t need to constantly chase ambitious goals or sacrifice our inner peace for an unattainable ideal. It’s essential to allow ourselves a break—a deliberate act of self-care. While we naturally care for others out of responsibility, necessity, and habit, we overlook extending the same care to ourselves.

Karbo encourages us to embrace being okay rather than relentlessly pursuing an impossible perfection, even when we give our best effort. Being okay does not mean carrying regrets; it means being human, embracing every aspect of ourselves. In our flaws and scars, resilience blooms.

Wondering what to read next?

  1. Everything in Life Has an Opportunity Cost
  2. Don’t Over-Deliver
  3. When Stressed, Aim for ‘Just Enough’
  4. In Imperfection, the True Magic of the Holidays Shines
  5. Why Settle?

How to … Be More Confident at Work

By Leave a Comment

If a lack of confidence is a significant factor holding you back in your career,

  • Appreciate your qualities and personality. Often, a lack of confidence stems from an accurate self-appraisal. Don’t dwell on the negatives. Celebrate what you’re good at. Record your workplace wins to identify the areas you’re strong at. Find ways to develop them even further. Knowing your strengths is also a great asset when considering asking for a pay rise or promotion.
  • Develop your brand of confidence. Don’t compare yourself to other people. Don’t ruminate on what others do and say (if their criticisms are accurate, stop blowing them off and consider changing yourself.) If you’re struggling with personal roadblocks, whether managing clashing personalities or dealing with work-life balance, develop methods or tools for overcoming them.
  • Say ‘yes’ to new challenges; they’ll take you out of your comfort zone. Expect to meet with problems—it’s the only way to keep growing. When you fail, know that you’ll survive—just move on to another challenge. (Losers fear failure so much they don’t bother to try, ensuring they’re failures.) Learn to be patient and to just enjoy the journey.
  • Find positive role models and personal cheerleaders. Many employers offer networking mentorships—they are the perfect opportunities to ask questions and learn directly from people who understand your situation and want to help you develop. Seek a few-steps-ahead peer-mentor, somebody who’s approachable and has a tad more experience than you do.

Wondering what to read next?

  1. Some Lessons Can Only Be Learned in the School of Life
  2. Five Ways … You Could Elevate Good to Great
  3. Risk More, Risk Earlier
  4. How to Ask for a Raise—and Negotiate in a Way That Commands Respect
  5. The Career-Altering Question: Generalist or Specialist?

What You Most Fear Doing is What You Most Need to Do

By Leave a Comment

Sometimes when you’re anxious about things, you tend to push them out of your grasp. Instead of evading from frustrating encounters thus, ask yourself, “What can I do that’ll make me more competent to tackle this problem?”

Don’t postpone the problem. Start with a baby step. A single, small accomplishment may promote new feelings of accomplishment and spark a sense of self-confidence. You’ll be pleased with yourself for taking charge.

When you like yourself better, you’ll begin to get more productive and improve your life in small ways, which can lead to bigger achievements.

Wondering what to read next?

  1. What Are You So Afraid Of? // Summary of Susan Jeffers’s ‘Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway’
  2. How to Face Your Fear and Move Forward
  3. Resilience Through Rejection
  4. Fear Isn’t the Enemy—Paralysis Is
  5. Trying to Be Perfect is Where Your Troubles Begin

Manage Your Own Career—No One Else Will

By Leave a Comment

In 2014, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was rightfully condemned for casually asserting that women shouldn’t bother asking for raises and instead rely on “good karma” and trust that the system will eventually reward their work.

Despite what “they” may say, no one else will manage your career for you—not the fine folks at human resources, not your boss, or some mentoring system. No one will chart out a career path for you or tell you what experience you should obtain, let alone assist you in getting it.

Don’t subscribe to the notion that someone is looking out for your best interests. You’ve got to look after yourself. Don’t expect to be promoted because you deserve it—no one is likely keeping track. Be proactive and ask for what you want.

Idea for Impact: Take active control of your career because nobody will manage it for you. Own it and challenge yourself.

Wondering what to read next?

  1. Who’s Responsible for Your Career
  2. The Career-Altering Question: Generalist or Specialist?
  3. What’s Next When You Get Snubbed for a Promotion
  4. From Passion to Pragmatism: An Acceptable, Good Career
  5. Before Jumping Ship, Consider This