Sustainable Ambition Forum - 05.13.21

 
 

A theme has been developing over the last few months—this idea of getting to know yourself and, I’ll add as a build here, looking to yourself first.

It’s common to look externally when we are unsure, are seeking direction, or want to find our bearings. Yet, several articles and a podcast below inspire the idea of looking to ourselves first:

  • Can we lead ourselves first so we can show up powerfully for those we lead?

  • Can we show up as our full selves to give our employees permission to do the same?

  • Can we deploy strategies to get control of burnout vs. rely solely on our managers or companies to address it?

  • Can we proactively address career headwinds, look to see what we’re curious about now, and pivot to come out the other side?

As the last point makes, looking to ourselves first also applies when we’re making career decisions. I often hear from coaching clients, “I just don’t know what I want to do!” I’ve been there, too. So, I was curious to ask Lisa Lewis Miller, author of “Career Clarity,” about this—what do we do when we don’t seem to know? In podcast episode #11, featured below, Lisa shares, “There’s an interesting paradox... You are the only person who can know what you want. So this tension between feeling like we don’t know, but also being the only definitive source of information to answer this question is a really interesting place to be.”

What if we do know? We all hold more answers than we realize. We hold the answer to what we want, for our career and our lives. And, we hold the keys to a lot more. I don’t state this to make it feel burdensome, but rather to have us realize that success actually lies in playing our own game, not anyone else’s.

So ask, “What can I look to myself for?” Get quiet to hear yourself. And then trust yourself to know the answers and actions you want to take. You will unlock whatever might be next and a lot is possible.

Wishing you well,

Kathy

P.S. Curious about a topic you’d like me to dig into either here or on the podcast? Drop me a note at KathyOneto@SustainableAmbition.com.

Thanks!


The Round-Up

Right Success: Can you show up as your full self? A reminder that sharing our screw ups and fallibility is just as powerful as sharing our wins and most shining moments.

Right Aspiration: This is a good article by Georgina Miranda for leaders to remember the importance of leading oneself first so you can show up powerfully to lead others.

Right Effort: While where we work can impact our experiences of burnout, this article offers practical tips on what you can do to start to address feelings of burnout yourself.

Reading: Want to learn more about Lisa Lewis Miller’s (our podcast guest in episode #11 and featured below) approach to finding your career path? Pick up her book, “Get Career Clarity” to learn more about aligning to your values and lifestyle. I also appreciate Lisa’s “tell it like it is” style; she shares some tough, but freeing, truths.

Listening: I really liked this episode of Adam Grant’s Work Life podcast where he interviews people who hit career turbulence during the pandemic and discusses how they pivoted and landed on new, rewarding paths. Find some inspiration in how others have navigated difficult headwinds.


The Sustainable Ambition Podcast - Episode 11

Join me for conversations with experts, authors, and friends on
what it means to live with Sustainable Ambition.

In this episode, I welcome Lisa Lewis Miller, career change expert, author, and founder of Career Clarity, a company helping individuals step into the careers they’ve been dreaming of. If you are someone who exclaims, “I don’t know what I want to do with my life!,” then this is the episode for you! Lisa offers a foolproof way to uncover your internal wisdom, because as she shares, you are the only one who knows. The answer isn’t “out there” or with anyone else. And a key theme of our conversation is permission—to explore what’s possible, to go for what you want, and to embrace our desire to learn and grow throughout our career.

Listen in!

Find it on Apple Podcast here

Or, listen on our website here

You can also find the podcast, subscribe, and listen on Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Overcast.

The Sustainable Ambition YouTube Channel

JUST LAUNCHED!

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The Monthly Progress Practice: May

At the beginning of the year, we shared our Monthly Progress Practice. Progress happens through small actions, so we offer a monthly practice of small actions or micro-habits to inspire positive change this year.

Our guidance for May: Be optimistic. Lead from a place of possibility. How can you imagine and bring to life a brighter future for yourself, your team, your world?



“Chasing other people’s vision of 'the good life' will never be fulfilling. When you redefine what success means to you, it’s possible to reach it.”

— Dorie Clark

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SUSTAINABLE AMBITION™ IS ABOUT CRAFTING A FULFILLING CAREER TO SUPPORT YOUR LIFE FROM DECADE TO DECADE.

It is centered around articulating your personal definition of success and achieving that without burnout while honoring your personal aspirations and ambitions as they ebb and flow over time. The end game—more fulfillment and ease in your professional and personal life, while still being ambitious.

We offer 1:1 Executive Coaching, Leadership Coaching, or Career Strategy Coaching, as well as VIP Leadership Brand Sessions and Workshops on a range of Sustainable Ambition topics. We also provide tips and inspiration, advice on career management over the decades, guides on key Sustainable Ambition topics of interest, and coverage of tools and inspiration.