Career Coach

By Barbara Poole

There is only so much you can do with leftover turkey. At some point, you have to acknowledge that you have cooked up every soup, stew, salad, sandwich and casserole worth having, and it is time to give the remains a decent burial.

In my family, that event coincides with the day that decorating for the holiday season begins. On that day, I spent hours opening boxes and crates, discovering things I couldn’t remember having ever owned.

It was quite entertaining, almost like being on a shopping spree in my own home. Amidst the tinsel and ornaments, it occurred to me that, even before these little treasures made it onto the tree, there was an incredible joy to be had in the process of rediscovering each one.

Rediscovery is a special kind of magic. It is about seeing something with new eyes.

How often do you do that in your own life? And what if you were to intentionally embark on a journey of rediscovery?

Imagine taking inventory of forgotten aspects of your life and your career that could enhance what you are today.

Use these questions to rediscover and re-experience elements of yourself that you have forgotten.

Rediscover your interests

• What subject matter is naturally compelling for you?

• What types of books did you once enjoy reading?

• If you were to take a course for pure enjoyment, what would you study?

• What is one topic you have always wished you knew more about?

Rediscover your talents

• What do you do well naturally?

• What do you do that people give you positive feedback about?

• What skills and abilities do you enjoy using?

Rediscover your friends

• Who was your best friend in high school, and when was the last time you two connected?

• What old friends would you enjoy seeing again?

• Who are the colleagues with whom you haven’t had contact for a while that you would like to get in touch with?

Rediscover your contributions

• What is the most successful project you have worked on?

• How could you replicate that level of success with a new endeavor?

• What are the career assets you bring to the table that you have forgotten about?

• How could you build on your career successes to add value to your community?

There is something magical that happens when the long forgotten becomes new again.

It is especially powerful when you resolve to take action on the discoveries you make and find ways to weave them into who and what you are now.

Spend some time taking inventory, and see how the process of rediscovery can revitalize your life and your career.

Barbara Poole is a leadership and career development coach with Success Builders Inc. E-mail her at CoachBarbara@SuccessBuildersInc.com.

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