Signs You’re Making Work Harder Than It Needs To Be

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and had some time to rest and rejuvenate!

As you prepare to head back to work, consider some new ways to get things done.  If you’ve been feeling like you can’t work hard enough to get ahead, you might be falling into some common career traps. The good news – with some changes to your approach and mindset, you can avoid the pitfalls.

 Common Career Traps and How to Avoid Them

Trap #1: Something comes easily to you so you discount the activity, thinking it must be easy for everyone.  You figure it can’t be a worthwhile skill if you didn’t have to work at it. 

Avoid it by: Playing to your strengths and appreciating that you really do have talent.  Not everyone can do what you do so easily.  Once you recognize your core genius you will get better results more easily. 

Trap #2: You choose what you think you SHOULD do over what you really want.  You figure that others have more experience or know better than you so you trust their opinion over your own.  

Avoid it by: Not giving up control of your career to others.  Yes it’s scary to make your own choices and decisions but otherwise you get caught up in their goals for you.  What about your personal aspirations? No one else is better qualified to fulfill your life purpose than you. 

Trap #3: Rather than take advantage of small opportunities to take steps toward work you’d rather do, you pass.  Why put yourself out there if it’s not the perfect situation?  

Avoid it by: Recognizing that the ideal career is a path, not a destination.  It unfolds before you as you take steps, even small ones.  Get some positive momentum started and you’ll see doors open to amazing opportunities.  

I’ve worked with thousands through my career coaching approach and my SIRIUSXM career talk show and unfortunately many of us are making work harder than it needs to be.  I’ve even fallen into these traps in my own career.  It happens but it doesn’t need to continue.  If you’re ready, willing and able to have a career that works for you, let’s talk about it.  Comment below or call into my radio show this Friday 4p ET/1p PT at 1-886-675-6675.  I’d love to hear your story!

(Photo courtesy of Evil Erin.)