Photo by Themis Chapsis
#5 in the What’s Holding You Back series — designed to help you think about why you are not moving forward in your job search, career, or life.
We all need to be open to learning and continue to learn throughout our lives. Many people either forget this, just choose to stop learning, or worse — are afraid to try. I see this in job seekers all the time. Understanding computers and technology is critical in this ever-changing computer-driven world as we discussed recently in Computer Savvy. Many people see this as an insurmountable hurdle.
I hear it all the time — “You know, I’m just not into these computer things.” “I don’t get technology.” “I can’t learn new stuff.” I can’t is a very powerful phase.
To overcome those fears, you have to acknowledge and agree that they are fears. Since much of learning means being willing to do something you have never done before or don’t think you feel comfortable doing, you need to break it into steps. I think everyone in a job search today should invest in both learning and technology. Laptops are less expensive than ever before. Still an investment, but everything worth doing is an investment.
For some, learning may need to take the path of actually taking a class or exploring options and enrolling at a college to develop new skills or learn a new career. If you decide to do that, study the options and talk to people who can help you predict which career path both fits you and has a future. Over the years, I have listened to the stories of job seekers who went back to school to get a degree in a new path and when they graduated, they found the market saturated either throughout the country or in the geographic area where they chose to live.
Do I practice what I preach? Over the years, I mastered multiple new technologies, equipment, and social media. I study job search and resume books. I invest in professional organizations to gain access to resources as well as interact with colleagues throughout the world. I’ve taken multiple seminars from leaders in the industry to learn cutting edge strategies in resume and cover letter writing.
This year, I am stepping it up! In the past, I have used every excuse in the book as to why I can’t go to the career conferences and heard back from colleagues how it changed them and their businesses to go and physically meet others in the field. You will get to hear how this goes for me.
I leave on Sunday, March 21 for Career Thought Leaders Conference in Baltimore. I’m excited! Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark are known for quality both in their conferences and in their training. They run The Resume Writing Academy and have co-authored many of the books in the career industry.
Day One is all about Resumes. Day Two is all about Entrepreneurship, and Day 3, with Susan Britton Whitcomb and others will be on Job Search & Career Coaching. The three days will be filled with expert advice from Wendy, Louise, and Susan as well as other leaders in the industry who I have come to know over the years.
I will make new friends and bond with friends and colleagues I have come to know through career organization e-lists, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. This is my stepping out to learn first adventure of 2010. I’ll keep you posted on what I learn.
What are you doing to learn in 2010? What are you doing to conquer the Learning Holding YOU Back issues in your life? You can do it! I am!
Julie –
Great series.
A long time ago, I worked with a woman who told me every time I used “I can’t” in a sentence to go back and change “can’t” to “won’t”. She said, after changing the sentence, sit down and figure out why you won’t do it. I’ve never forgotten that sage wisdom.
To this day, I seldom utter the words “I can’t”. I now decide if I will or won’t or do something and accept the responsibility for the decision I made.
“I can’t” relieves the utterer of responsibility. In an “I can’t” format, it’s a nebulous force out in the universe preventing forward movement. With “I won’t”, it lets us see WE are in charge of the direction of our lives.
“‘I can’t’ learn to use a computer becomes “‘I won’t’ learn to use a computer.” Really changes the tone of the sentence doesn’t it?
We all need to figure out the “I won’ts” in our lives. It isn’t some dastardly force preventing us from excelling. It is our own perceptions.
Great comment, Dawn! I still have a few things left that I keep in my “I won’t” pile but this year has made me change many of them. Life with continuous learning and growing keeps us happier too!
If you continue to hear too many I cant’s, get in touch with Pastor David Andrus at Lutheran Blind Mission. People have to learn to look beyond handicaps or disabilities.
Inspirational, Andrew! Thanks… you do great things with the Blind Outreach Center.