One of the nicer things that has happened this year is that I have had the opportunity to more frequently connect with one of my bestest work friends, Rainbow (as I reminded her this recently, we have known each other for 18 years now. She started to deny it, then did the math, and said "Oh?). Our talks are about writing - her career as a freelancer and my own very tentative start into the field (She is convinced I am a natural; I am convinced less so), but they have also evolved into a sort of weekly mutual support group about life.
She has obviously been heavily involved in the current Hammerfall, both with listening to me rave on Monday prior to the event and then on our weekly Friday calls, where I was reflecting on all that the week had brought me, good and bad. As we rambled through our conversation, she mentioned that fact that in her life, she often thought that she kept coming back to the same issue until it got resolved - the lesson that she had to learn and could not get beyond until it was resolved.
I have read of and heard of this principle before - it has been described as a spiral, in which we continue to meet the same issue or problem in different ways until we master the issue (and, of course, we get something else we need to work on). And the principle of "stuck in place" until something is learned is not unknown to me.
Except, possibly, this has all become far too real.
If I am completely honest, part of my frustration with what lies ahead is that is seems a lot like what lies behind, at least in a career sense. If I look at the last 7.5 years, my most recent position and the position I left in 2016 are exactly the same, both in the type of industry and the position. And, perhaps in the offing, a return to the same company I left 7.5 years ago to the same position.
This may be an example use of the term "irony" in the dictionary.
Amazing. A huge circle that brought me to (in theory) the pinnacle of positions in my career field, to a separate field, and then right back around to the position I was in.
There is something, apparently, that needs to be learned.
What might that be? I have no idea at the moment, but fortunately (?) I have a lot of time over the next two weeks to think about it. Perhaps it is something as simple as "I need to embrace the career and the knowledge base in a way that I have not before" or "I need to develop certain aspects of a managerial level before I can go on" or even "I need to accept that for the next stage of life this - and not anything else I am think of (or in some ways, enjoy more) should be my career focus".
Maybe it is simply "Learning to accept what is provided without complaining".
But I am here for a reason. And it is evident that whatever that reason is, I have seemed to miss the lesson before and thus get (yet) another attempt at learning it.
A version of "if at first you don't succeed then" popped into the head reading this post TB, not the best description I grant you. Does length of time = success?! Not trying to judge mind you. Aaaah.....the early morning darkness isn't helping the thinking process today.
ReplyDeleteNylon12, it is odd. In one sense there is a real idea that time served is not a direct correlation to success: view all of the "under 30 Super Geniuses" that make the lists every year versus people that have toiled away for 30 years without the same sort of advancement or recognition.
DeleteOn the other hand, there is the concept of "putting in the work", that improvement and success does not come without all the unseen and invisible work that goes on behind the scenes. This is a big phrase in weight lifting, for example: people see the new personal records, but they do not see the nights and mornings lifting that got one there.
Maybe "Success is not guaranteed but effort is ultimately not wasted?" Not a really motivational slogan by any means, but maybe reality.
I'm a big believer in the Einstein definition of insanity which he said was doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. I think this meshes well with Rainbow's thoughts on mistakes coming round multiple times until one learns from them.
ReplyDeleteI'm not in your shoes nor am I an expert but I would never entertain an offer from a place that formerly laid me off and expect any sort of security there. Probably the only way I would consider it would be as a consultant at a hefty price point compared to my prior salary. I know it is hard, but I think I would look to make in roads into another market segment altogether.
Ed, Rainbow's a genius and we never argue against her thoughts or advice.
DeleteI had not thought of Einstein's definition, but it really does apply in this case. Interesting. I will cogitate further.
One clarification: The place I may have an interview at (two jobs back) I left of my own accord (and on good terms) due to personnel issues for people who are no longer there, reporting structure (which as changed), and ability to advance. So not quite as bad as it could be (and owned by a new company to boot), but same products and same industry. And that may be a thing.
I've watched your story unfold while reflecting back on my career. Was in steady job I loved but we were sold. Putting out feelers when out of the blue a former employee called me to tell me about contract and consulting work. Looking into it I applied and the next 19 years spiraled by. That was 1990. I had two friends in the medical field, a nurse and a doctor. Both were contractors. Now my grandson and wife are both doing it in their respective fields. It is a different kind of life as some of us are on the move every week or two. But the nurse was usually on long term jobs for 6/12 months and doctor was on 2 year contracts.
ReplyDeleteIt is a big lifestyle change. Bouncing around the country, different hotels. Hottest job was Puerto Rico in summer and coldest was Green Bay in the winter, but my take on it was I learned more in those years than the 25 years prior.
This is probably the perfect time to step out of that box you are in with last daughter graduating and leaving home. You have multiple degrees so don't just look at what you were presently doing and maybe expand into something you want to do. Myself, I loved almost every minute of it.
Anon - Your story has actually come up with a friend or two over the last week. In my line of work - or possibly even without - consulting is a very viable field. The one piece of advice my friend had was is have a stable of clients so that if one goes down, another is there.
DeleteAnother thing that I offer - both in my last job and potentially the one that I am interviewing for - is that I have the unusual combination of being "seasoned" and have a been a manager for more years than I care to count. For some companies, this offers the sort of "old wise owl" the would like to have in management: someone with experience who is not, for whatever reason, looking to build their career something else. I am coming to realize that might be a negotiating point.
Either way, the longer term strategy lies somewhere else, as you suggest. Even if this potential job takes root, the longest I would likely "have" to keep it is 3.5 years (until the youngest graduates). It's wise to use this time - regardless - on building the next thing.
I agree about the repetitions of circumstances, and that they indicate an area of personal learning, though I've always thought of these in terms of spiritual character development rather than knowledge or skills. For example, learning patience. What better way than to have numerous situations thrown at me where I can either choose patience or impatience.
ReplyDeleteHopefully being aware of it, TB, you'll figure it out.
Leigh, that is often how I have used it too - spiritually. That said, I have also found (at least in my swordsmanship) that it is largely the same: I keep coming back to the same issues to work through, slightly modified by time or my efforts to improve them.
DeleteIndeed, hopefully awareness precedes resolution.