Money, Kudos and Other People's BS

By choosing to make conscious career decisions now, you can ensure that the next step you make in your career, will be an enjoyable and fulfilling chapter in your career journey. Part of this process is being very clear about what you are truly passionate about, what really motivates you and what is most important to you. Often, this can be clouded by your own and other people's “BS” (Belief Systems).

Let me illustrate this by giving you an example...

A thirty-something PhD qualified client was exploring his career options a few years ago. His true passion and purpose was to become a high school teacher, where he felt he could really make a difference empowering young people to fulfil their potentials. In fact, he had been thinking about it for many many years, but one thing was stopping him...

Teachers are seriously undervalued in our culture. Both in terms of their remuneration and the respect and acknowledgement they receive for the truly important work that they do. This lack of money and kudos were holding my client back from pursuing his dream.

Dig a little deeper and it turns out that money and kudos weren't what he truly valued. It was his mother's BS that was holding him back. Throughout his life, his mother had, by her choices and words, displayed her belief that money and kudos were extremely important.

So, when this client revealed his dream to become a teacher to his mother, she replied “but there's not enough money and kudos in that”. Of course, what she really wanted was for her son to be happy and her fear that he would be unhappy drove her to speak those words. In her model of the world, she still believes that money and kudos equal happiness. Sadly she's not the only one roaming around the world with this limiting belief!

Many of us have learnt that it's just not true... some of us (including me) have learned the hard way!

This client chose to make his life decisions based on his own empowering beliefs and values. He chose to prioritise his passions and purpose above money and what other people think and he became a high school teacher... and guess what? He is thriving!

And his mother? Sadly, even though she has both money and kudos, she is a very unhappy lady. More money and more kudos over the years have certainly not made her any happier. However, she can see that her son is the happiest he has ever been... and maybe, just maybe, his example will help her to discover true happiness in her own life.

In your own process of pursing a career that fulfils your passions and your purpose, beware other people's BS! And more importantly, beware your own BS!

Get really clear about your passions and your purpose and make sure that limiting beliefs don't get in your way. Ask yourself:

* What really motivates you?
* What are you passionate about?
* If money wasn't an issue what would you really want to be and do?
* If what other people thought wasn't playing on your mind, what career would you choose?
* What BS holds you back from achieving true career success and fulfilment?