Coming out of Pharmacy School, I used to be chased by the feeling that “I am too old to start a new career, consider a new field, play a new instrument, or even to start a new habit.” These self-limiting beliefs were rooted in an unrealistic perception of success and my feeding into society’s exaggerated ageism that pushed for long-term achievements as a core necessity for success. The United Nations describes ageism as a global challenge that leads to poorer health, social isolation, earlier deaths and costs economies billions. So ask yourselves, is it hard to find your unique voice and place in life when you accept beliefs such as those erroneously infused into our subconscious minds of what a successful life looks like?
In time, my curiosity and burning desire to look for meaning has slowly taught me that I am never late for anything regardless of what others believe in. I just have to be realistic with my ambitions, consistent with my efforts, and kind to myself during the process, as emphasized more methodologically in Dorie Clark’s “ The Long Game” book. Being consistent and kind to yourself might be the most significant tactic for the long game of choosing what to do in life for; first, progress takes time, and second, unexpected things can happen in life. These were among the few core strategies we practiced with one of my clients who had lost herself in her career and inadvertently slid out from her passion. She has trained as an environmental health professional, where she is still fully committed but then drifted from the area for various reasons (life happens) for more than 7-8 years. When she reached out to me for coaching, her goal was “going back to environmental health” but not knowing how. We teamed up quickly as she believed that I was the one that could help her, and I put on my best coaching skills for her use. I am proud to announce that she just accepted a job offer that she’s been seeking and increased her income by ⅓ with a sign-on bonus. Honestly, transitioning to a career different from your most current experience is not as easy as it sounds. But my client’s commitment and consistent work and, mostly emotionally and financially, investing in her future brought the inevitable outcome of success. This might be the zillionth time someone shows us their will and does not give up on their goals that easily. But, I will have a small add-on to this. Never give up, yes! But, take a closer look at the areas in your life that might be holding you back from your ambitions. And be courageous to do the more profound work that will bring the transformation. As Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Sometimes, we are soaked up with our own story, and we may not be able to find the solution to cut the ties that make us spin around at the same point. That’s the time to seek different resources and help from others cause reinventing yourself might be a long journey.
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