I got laid off in January of 2006. The writing had been on the wall for a while but you know, until it finally happened I figured I’d be hopeful and optimistic.
“We’re going to have to let you go.”
I had no idea how these words would change my life. I found myself, my purpose, my joy and happiness in my career. I love what I’ve been able to make of my career since that horrible, unfair, illogical layoff 15 years ago. The pain was real but it got way, way better.
When I first thought of my job search I thought it was a pretty logical, linear thing. And, actually, it is. There are plenty of exceptions but there isn’t any real magic to landing a job. There was, though, this thing that shocked me to my core. Something I didn’t understand:
EMOTIONS
Or, how emotions would impact my ability to do logical and linear things. I wrote this post towards the beginning of JibberJobber: Depression Clouds Everything. I wrote about the emotional rollercoaster I went through during an interview process in this post: The Job Search Interview Process Is Full of Emotions! I’ve written other posts about emotions during this hard time, but I don’t have to tell you about them. If you are reading this you are intimately aware of the flood of emotions that are getting in your way of an easy and efficient job search.
As you know, I’m a proponent of multiple income streams. Recently my wife and I decided to jump into the deep end on a new income stream. I’d be lying if I didn’t experience an immense amount of fear and overwhelm. But, here we are. Ready to risk. Ready to work. Ready to do the hard stuff. Anticipating blood, sweat, and tears.
“Where there is no risk, there is no reward.”
The job search is risky. It’s scary. I get it. Been there, done that. It’s not fun. Even when things are going well the emotional rollercoaster is overwhelming. But you do it. I did it.
Or, you start a business, like I did. You don’t even want to know how hard it was the first few years, or how much money we put in. But it started an entrepreneurial journey I couldn’t have imagined.
Do what you need to do, even through confusing emotions. It will be worth it. And I’m guessing you are stronger than what you think you are.