Who knew you could write a doctoral thesis on the side of a Starbucks cup?
Well, you can!
I guess I'm just a picky person. Which is exactly what you want in a career coach, by the way. A good coach doesn't let you settle... like bitter coffee grounds at the bottom of your 100% post-consumer recycled cup.
(Why, oh why, must I insert less-than-stellar metaphors?!)
A good career coach doesn't tell you what you should do with your life, nor does she merely tweak your resume, upgrade your interviewing skills, pat you on the back and send you on your way. While this process is, granted, a quick, easy and relatively cheap method, it's hardly sustainable or even that useful.
And why should creating yourself be easy and quick? It's your life we're talking about here!
Here's why: If you want to really create your own life, your own work, your own message, you need to spend the time and, if necessary, the money to do it. It all comes down to the old adage, "you get what you pay for." And we all have choices in our time and monetary investments. Even when don't think we think we do.
Take Exhibit A: chilius doggus
 |
| I can stop in for a chili dog from the cafe at Target for less than $2 (presumably.) I can do this now, pay in cash, eat my frankfurter and be done with it. Food is in stomach and I can get on with my life. (Okay, heartburn may ensue, but thankfully I'm at Target and they carry antacids. Add $3.99.) |
 |
| From the amazing Inn at Little Washington |
Or, I can go to a five-star restaurant that serves nothing but the ultimate in culinary inventions. However, this will take time- to save up the money to go, to make a reservation well in advance, to get dressed up, to wait while they prepare a sumptuous meal, and to savor each of the six courses... not to mention the amuse-bouche. But it's an experience that will always be with me. And I will have learned what a master chef can create.
Now make the choice an even meatier one by deciding whether or not to invest in yourself and your future. The Target Cafe version of this choice equates to taking a free online assessment, perhaps even upgrading for $29.99 to do have a live 30 minute chat with a career specialist. Talk about cheap and easy! But you've really just wasted 30 minutes and 30 bucks on something that really doesn't do much of anything. There's no depth, no real discovery. You may think you haven't really lost that much, which is true, but you haven't gained anything either. Except maybe increased frustration that it didn't work and a feeling that nothing will!
Be picky, is what I'm saying. About your life, not just your stomach. Go with the Michelin five-starred restaurant: a career expert who cares about helping you clarify your goals and design the career that will make you soar.
Creating yourself, your work, your life's journey can be an intricate, time-consuming and absolutely exhilarating process. Don't skimp on the good stuff of career coaching- whoever you use. (Although it should be me... I'm just saying... since I'm so picky and all...)
And Starbucks, I'll be back, for my Decaf, No Whip, Tall, Sugar Free Caramel Macchiotto with Soy.
Talk about an investment!
No comments:
Post a Comment