How the valley can inspire you more than mountain top

No one wants to be in the Valley. We’d rather be on the mountain top. Looking back, often we remember those valley experiences as pivotal in our lives.

When everything is going well, you don’t always recognize it. I guarantee though, you know when you are in the valley!

How to make a strong comeback

Use for learning. Recognize mistakes. See misdirection. Pinpoint new opportunities. Find new resources.

When you are in the valley, you know something isn’t going right. You may not understand exactly what it is but you will feel sad or frustrated and want to change it. Many job seekers feel this way but not all of them are willing to learn and move on.

9 Essential steps to getting out of the valley

1. Recognize the problem
2. Prepare to change direction
3. Plan a new direction
4. Learn stuff
5. Set up an action plan
6. Create necessary tools
7. Invigorate your network
8. Keep moving forward
9. Celebrate success

What to do with disappointment

Acknowledge that wrong turns happen. You land in the wrong job. Your favorite manager leaves and is replaced by a bully. The job isn’t what was described. You don’t feel challenged anymore.

Ok, you recognized the problem, now prepare to change direction. You can wallow for a minute, ok, a day, but then it is time to move on. Analyze what would make you happy. Identify your strengths and things you love to do. Make lists.

Plan a new direction. Find out where you can use your under-used talents.

Learn stuff. I love that phrase. Truthfully, I stole it from NCIS New Orleans character, DuWayne Pride, who always says that when he gets the team ready to solve a new case. I didn’t really notice the phrase until Christopher LaSalle took the leadership role for a bit and he said, “let’s learn stuff.”

You need to learn stuff about the companies you target. Understand the current market position. Are there mergers or acquisitions in the future? What is the future for their product line? Are they resilient or stuck? Who are their leaders? What is the leadership philosophy?

What about you?

Do you need to learn stuff to be current in your industry? Company research is great but you also need to see if you have what it takes. Fortunately, you can learn stuff very quickly today. LinkedIn Learning, YouTube, and Pluralsight are just a few resources that come to mind to bring yourself up to speed.

Those valley experiences impact our lives but it is what we do with them that can create a momentous pivot into the future. Do you need a guide to help you through the valley? Learn more.