Part 4: Career Control

Chapter List

Chapter 15: Taking Control

Part Overview

Just before I decided to take control of my own career, I was suffering from corporate misery. I did not realize just how unhappy I was until I removed myself from the clutter and confusion of my corporate life and began to take a closer look.

In my corporate career, I have worked for bosses who did not like me and for bosses that I disliked; I have had coworkers who were downright mean and coworkers who were supportive and kind. I have played office politics and lost, and I have played office politics and “won” but still lost. I have been promoted, laid off, and fired.

It was not until I discovered who I was in terms of values, strengths, skills, boundaries, and needs that I was able to move ahead in my career and my life. And it was only then that I uncovered what I wanted for myself, and only then that I could set a plan to go get it.

In coaching my clients, I have found that many of them have had similar experiences, and through the processes in this book, they have each made choices that enabled them to escape that corporate misery and create successful and fulfilled lives, with careers that honor who they are and what they do best.

Having a job you love as part of a life you love is available to you—all you need to do is take action. Part of the action you take will be to choose to change, while also choosing to be happy in your pursuit of happiness.

Everyone deserves a career that brings out his or her best. Decide to make that happen for yourself by first identifying the gap between where you are right now and where you want to be. Commit to learning more about who you are and what you want, then take control of your career and get it.