How you can break barriers to growth and prepare for opportunities
We are continually reminded of the “new normal” and the fight to get business back to the way it was before, as if it could ever be again. The news can get daunting while working from home, especially if there seems to be no end in sight to the current pandemic and other social issues. Not only is the news a source of frustration, job certainty has evaporated for many industries and careers. It seems as if a person who has a job has the only future available now, and to dream of something else is to expect too much.
However, it is possible to think about the future, even in the seemingly worst circumstances, whether or not you work at home, are uncertain of a job in the coming months, and whether or not you are employed now. The challenge is to overcome the natural barriers that your mind creates when you feel the weight of the circumstances around you, from national and international crises to your own personal and professional issues. When there are so many issues and problems vying for your attention, it weighs heavily on your mind, creating a sense of tug of war. You seem to be pushed from one headline to the next, your attention continually drifting from one troubling idea to another.
When you create mental barriers, you interrupt your own development and this is what prevents you from being ready for new opportunities. As an educator and career coach, I have used the phrase ready for opportunity to not only refer to future career opportunities that may come your way, but also to opportunities that are available now within your current career. For example, I always care about my well-being and state of mind as an educator, knowing that I want to be ready for the opportunity from my employer, ready to accept the challenges and opportunities that are a natural part of the position. You can also develop this same state of mind when you break down any barriers to growth that are present now.
Natural and intentional growth
You grow naturally without thinking, on a subconscious level. This occurs through time on the job and the experience you gain, along with the skills you acquire. You cannot help but grow on some level, whether or not you are aware of it. Even if you’re doing the same job, day in and day out, and it seems like you’ve plateaued in that position, you’re still growing to some degree. Consider the knowledge you’ve gained, even through trial and error, customer interactions, problem solving, and project work. You have evolved, whether or not you can see it right now.
There is also intentional growth, or the kind of growth that you are aware of and intentionally pursue. It can be formal education, or the type of education obtained within a classroom environment. This type of growth can also occur by reading, attending a webinar, attempting a new project, or consciously engaging in any other such endeavor. When you intend to pursue new knowledge or acquire new skills, the purpose may be to benefit your current job or future career. Accumulating your knowledge helps create a competitive advantage, along with a sense of being proactive in your career.
Uncovering your barriers to growth
As an educator and career counselor, what I have learned through my work with students and clients is that barriers to growth can be summed up in two main categories, beliefs and acceptance. Even those who have apparently been well focused and able to develop goals can still get caught up in current events and need to work to overcome trouble spots.
Belief-focused barriers: One of the common barriers centers on the belief that a person’s life and/or career will not, cannot, or will not change. This is the product of time, effort and mental habits. If you’ve been trying to improve your life, create new plans, initiate changes, or try to find a new career path, and nothing seems to be going the way you’d like, then it can be easy to develop a negative belief.
The default setting seems to be this: see, believe, try. It translates into: I see results from my effort, then if everything goes well, I believe in myself and try again. The reverse is also true: if I don’t see results from my effort, I won’t believe in myself and may not try again.
Acceptance-focused barriers: Most of the people I work with who have this type of barrier are prone to accept reality as it is now and cannot see any hope of change in the future. The development of reality-based barriers is even more challenging now during a pandemic when the certainty of resolution is unknown.
Anyone who struggles with fear of the future and becomes mentally paralyzed by not being able to take action because they see no hope has those feelings amplified to a much greater degree now. There seems to be no escape from reminders of the devastation the world is facing, either, as the worst of the crisis is ever-present in the news and ads remind us to isolate ourselves at home. It can be easy to eventually succumb to the feeling that life won’t get better.
Breaking Barriers to Growth
Often we keep bumping into the same wall, until we realize we’re stuck. To overcome any mental barrier, you must be willing to admit that something is not working for you right now. It is not a matter of right or wrong, ego, pride, or admission of failure. It is being able to continue evolving, both personally and professionally. You can simply say, “I feel stuck in some way and want to make improvements.” This is how the process of discovering obstacles begins, since you cannot change the external or the circumstances that surround your life, but you can change the internal factors that are holding you back.
Self-assessment and self-discovery
In order to discover your barriers, you need to start by doing what you may be most uncomfortable with, and that is admitting that you need to self-examine your thinking. This will start a process of self-assessment, which in turn can lead you through self-discovery. The only reason obstacles exist is because of the established thought patterns in the mind.
Consider this example: the mind initiates a series of steps that create habitual thinking, leading to chronic patterns of how you act while interacting with others in the workplace and how you perform your job. There is a logical component to these steps, as needed to complete the required tasks; however, there are aspects involved that require capacity, and this is where your beliefs come in. Self-assessment, using reflection as a self-assessment tool, will help uncover those beliefs. It’s not about being weak when you need to determine why you’re mentally stuck, it’s about showing yourself that you want to grow.
Implement this strategy: To help you get started, I recommend that you create an event log, or rather an event graph. The events you need to keep track of during each day are tasks, requirements, homework, projects, and anything else you have been consciously asked to do at work. This is the first column of the event graph.
The second column will be the self-reflective reactions. I recommend that you record your self-reflective reactions at the end of the day, when you have time to think about how you responded to tasks, requirements, homework, projects, and anything noted on your log or event chart. Take the time to write down your initial reaction, along with any final actions you’ve taken.
The third and last column of your event log or graph should be labeled autofocus. You can complete this column at the end of the day, or perhaps you could complete it at the end of the week, after you have given yourself even more time to reflect. This column will give you the opportunity to answer the following questions for each entry within the event log or graph: Was this the best answer? Did this answer lead to the best possible result? Was there a better answer and possible outcome? If so, what was it?
From this event log, you can develop an action plan. My recommendation is that you create a set of statements to acknowledge your newfound wisdom. The following pointers can help you get started:
I have learned…
Now I know this about me…
I have to improve…
I discovered that I am capable of…
I plan to choose this type of reaction in the future…
All of this may seem too much of a stretch for the average person to complete. However, we live in a time when the external “noise” is so strong, including the technology used, that we must find a way to pay attention to what is going on in our minds. This is where the path to success can be found by learning to evaluate ourselves from the inside out.
Preparing for the opportunity
Once you’ve decided to take a proactive approach to assessing your mindset, you’ll find yourself in a better position for future opportunities. This doesn’t mean you’re going to start a job search, but it does mean you’re ready to perform at your best now, and by doing so, you’re ready for the opportunity. The success of many employers now depends on the performance of their employees. Your willingness to perform at your best not only makes you shine, but contributes to the success and longevity of your employer, and may also be preparing you for future opportunities. But no matter why you have broken down the barriers to your growth, you should always do it first and foremost for your own benefit and mental well-being. Beginning each day with a sense of hope and a willingness to participate fully in whatever task comes your way, regardless of the circumstances, can be one of the most rewarding feelings you will ever experience.