Why is my career not where I thought it should be?

Here are some eight (8) tendencies and mindsets, which have stopped many journalists, broadcasters, other professionals from pushing their career trajectory in the way it should go:

Fear (fear of taking risk, fear from past traumas, fear of leaving their comfort zone, and their fear of obsession over the unknown).

Self doubt (who I’m I to try. I will not make it. My skills are not enough for me to try. I’m afraid of the outcome. What will people think? I’m not enough. I will not make it. Those better than me haven’t done it. How dare I think I can take the lead in this or be the first at doing this? Bla bla bla.)

Self sobatage (it’s called the pygmalion effect, the self-fulfilling prophesy: if I try it, it backfires. I just know I’m going to fail! See those people who didn’t go further. I’m just like them! What’s the point? I’m going to just not bother doing it. I hope it will sort itself out. Bla bla bla. And the outcome: nothing.

Being too critical of self and others. Too much criticism often stems from a place of broken trauma. When we last at others, it sometimes come from wishing that we are doing exactly what others are doing that makes them excel but just can’t seem to figure out how they are doing. Rather than commend or ask for their help, you attack their work or lash out or boil in your own anger. Doing more harm to yourself mentally, psychologically and physiologically.

Not knowing where to look for opportunities, how to ask for help to develop the right skills, the right engagement, who to ask help from, and when to ask for help (and knowing that sometimes when you ask for help, be ready to get a “NO”. DO NOT TAKE THAT RESPONSE PERSONALLY. Just move on and do more research or thinking of a better person willing to offer help and guidance. Remember that they’re offering support. It is not your right. Most importantly, apply what you have learned. It is in doing the activities, being involved in the engagement that the results you seek manifest.

Staying in a group or community that does not feed your purpose, inspires you to achieve goals and dampens your spirit to take up challenges that makes you develop and build your capacity in personal growth and career advancement.

Not deliberately cultivating the right network for you. (Not all groups or friendship will give you what you need. You have got to be deliberate about why you need to cultivate that friendship or join that community. Is it to garner skills, knowledge, expertise, capacity building, personal development, career opportunities, and funding startups? What exactly do you seek?

In doing all of this, try and be a friend first. Be honest about it and not use it as a manipulative tool to exploit and dump. You’ll be marked.

When others have given to you, learn to pay forward and give back. Don’t be a hoarded of knowledge. A community thrives as one based on the collective mind of the individual persons and their sum.

Just some useful tips from us at LightRay Media.

May your week ahead become as you envisioned it. Cheers ????.