Step 1: Know Thyself
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Cognitive dissonance.
It’s a key term in psychology describing what happens when we act in a way that’s different than our values.
Experts believe it’s a top reason for unhappiness, and I’m guessing it’s why you joined the One Step Closer community.
If your day-to-day work requires you to do things outside of your values or character, it causes stress, burnout, and decreases your overall well-being.
Here are some examples:
Working for a company that is purely profit-motivated
Working in an industry that does harm to the world
Having a job that mostly uses your weaknesses
Having a boss dismiss your strengths
Create clarity.
The best thing you can do for yourself is get dialed in on your character, values, and personality.
This is where you can use tools to help reset your compass.
If you are unsettled, dissatisfied and wanting more, you likely have incongruence between your work and your values. You must do something about this now, if you want to change your future.
There are two tools I recommend, and they’re both free:
16Personalities. This is a certified derivative of the Myers-Briggs personality assessment. It’s not science-based, but you’ll find it very accurate.
VIA (Values in Action) Character Strengths. The only science-backed tool with high credibility in the psychology community.
Call to action.
If you want to reset your career compass, step 1 is to know thyself.
And a good way to do that is to take these assessments and connect a few dots. You’ll understand your character, values and personality in a meaningful way.
If you’re only taking one, I would do 16Personalities because it has a career section. But come on, this is your future.
Why not make another 10 minute investment in yourself and take VIA Character Strengths, too?
After taking the assessment(s), answer these questions:
Do your strengths and weaknesses line up to what you’ve heard over the years in performance reviews?
Do your results shed light on how you feel about your job, boss or industry?
Did you get any insights about potential alternative career options?
Does your job cause you to act incongruently with your values?
Like last week, I want you to send me your answers. chris@peoplebeforethings.co (not .com)
This creates accountability so you prioritize you.
Your coach,
Chris
P.S. ♻ Sharing is caring. Please consider forwarding this to a friend, if you found it useful. Your kindness could change someone else’s life!
