Fear and Disappointment: 2 Reasons People Don’t Take Action and How to Overcome Them
Article #593
Author: Markell R. Steele, Career Counselor
For months, I’ve been learning about how to use various social media tools to meet new people, to market my programs and services, and to connect with new clients. At first I was reluctant to get started because I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I didn’t want to make any mistakes, offend anyone or look stupid as I was stumbling along trying to figure out this new world of blogs and social networks. As I began dipping my toe in, I reached out to friends who had already jumped in. I asked lots of questions. I read lots of articles on how to get set up, how to maximize my time online, how to make good connections. I read about how to create a positive image. I’ve listened to a half dozen teleclasses on this topic.
Then, I realized that all this knowledge is good, but taking action is what’s going to help me achieve my goals. Yet at first, I hesitated to take the plunge. I didn’t feel like I knew what I was doing. I didn’t want to say the wrong things to the wrong people. When I thought about why I wasn’t taking action, I realized that I was afraid that I wouldn’t do it “right,” therefore I didn’t do anything. I also thought about all the other marketing ideas I’d tried before that didn’t quite work. I was disappointed by my lack of success and didn’t see the point of trying anything new. I knew I had to overcome those thoughts if I really wanted to bring my programs and services to people who were distressed about their job search or career transition.
My experience made me wonder what it must be like for the millions of job seekers out there who are fighting against fear and disappointment. I wondered how fear and disappointment impacted their job search success.
By the time job seekers get to me, many of them have already read some of the career planning and job search books I recommend in my bookstore. They’ve downloaded my audios, articles and other publications. They’ve done online assessments. They’ve fooled around with their resume and dabbled in reviewing job postings online. Some have even signed up on a social networking site but aren’t active. The reality is they haven’t taken much action toward actually getting a job. Frankly, launching a job search is daunting for most people. You’re putting yourself out there to be accepted or rejected by people who don’t really know you. That’s why we spend so much time on the activities that don’t connect us to the decision makers. We’ve already been disappointed by not getting other jobs or promotions, and we’re afraid they won’t like us this time either.
How do you overcome fear and disappointment so you can move forward in your job search? Ultimately, you want a job but focus on what needs to happen to get you there. First, get clear about your job search goals. Do you need to get more leads? Do you need to get more interviews? Do you need to improve your interviewing skills? Second, create a realistic plan for achieving those goals. After reading all the books and articles, you should have a good idea of what you need to do. Third, take action on your plan. Start small if you have to, but do something to make progress.
I’ve also found it’s helpful to work with a partner or in a group. It’s a good way to get support, stay accountable and stay on track.
I applied the same concepts to overcome my own fear and disappointment, so I could achieve my business goals. I wanted to establish my expertise, so I started submitting articles to different websites. Within a week, I was contacted by a recruiting company for permission to post my articles in their newsletter and on their website. They also wanted to post a link to my company website. I wanted to reach more people online, so I set up a Facebook account. I had no idea what I was going to do there, but I set up the foundation for growth. In no time, I’d connected to 87 friends and business associates who now have access to my articles and programs. I’m easily sharing my expertise and making new friends.
These little successes are proof that the strategies I’ve learned do work and they motivate me to keep going. I encourage you to do take action and let the success motivate you to keep working toward achieving your goals.
About the Author
Markell R. Steele, M.Ed., NCC, Career Counselor is the owner of Futures in Motion, Inc. and author of Fast Track Your Career: Three Steps for Finding Work You Love. For the past13 years, she has passionately shared her secrets for career happiness and success. Her company provides career assessments and career transition assistance. More articles can be found here- http://futures-in-motion.com/article_archive.php. She can be reached at http://futures-in-motion.com/contact_us.php .
