Everyone faces failure. How you overcome failure is the difference between finding success or settling for mediocrity. Here’s our advice: Don’t settle.
Rarely do those pursuing their dream careers and passions strike it big without facing some serious setbacks along the way. It’s those who are proactive in never accepting failure as the final outcome that ultimately find success within their ventures. Instead of letting the fear of failure stop you from going outside your comfort zone or letting a misstep stifle your plans, use failure as an opportunity to learn and grow. Don’t settle for mediocrity!
Inspiration for Overcoming Failure
Invaluable created this inspiring infographic on 12 famous individuals who experienced substantial failures and obstacles within their careers before finding success. Learn from the resilience of Elizabeth Arden, Oprah, Chris Gardner, and more influential entrepreneurs. Gain motivation from their stories, and use it to overcome any failures and fears that are currently holding you back!
If there’s one thing you change about your working life, it should be to realize you’re not involuntarily working. You have chosen to make a decision and work for someone. Maybe the job was perfect for your career path, maybe it was the financial incentive offered, or maybe it was simply that you needed a change in your life. The world owes you nothing, and you owe the world nothing either. This is actually a great awakening tactic you can use to stop being timid toward your boss. You’re both in the same boat, it’s just one of you that is steering it. It takes both of you to work together in order to make that boat go forward, onward onto new horizons. Just as you’re expected to pull your weight, be proficient, reliable, hard-working, honest and a whole raft of other things, you should want that from your boss too. Do not settle for someone that doesn’t live up to their end of the bargain. Here’s how you can demand more consistency from your higher-ups.
Pattern of Pay
The work you do for the company, should entail you the right to be paid for your services. However, when you sign a contract to work for the employer, this can be seen as a guarantor for being paid in a certain fashion according to those set by the owner. This could be weekly, every fortnight, or monthly. Specific situations such as sick pay and commission work is something a little bit more complex and usually needs to be worked out with your employer beforehand so things don’t get lost or mixed up. You should demand to be paid reliably on the same time every time you are owed payment.
To keep track of whether or not your employer is making consistent payments, you can create pay stubs that mark down the details of your pay. Your employer can also use this service to provide you with the evidence each time. It’s not uncommon for some companies to pay you a day or two, even more, late each time payment is owed. If this kind of practice is allowed to go on, you will find yourself waiting for your money more and more and thus chasing people up.
Fairness goes a long way
You’d be surprised at the shocking level of inconsistency that goes on in the workplace when it comes to being treated fairly in the professional sense. If someone is sick or doing something else, the work they are not doing will be offloaded onto someone else. If you’re the person that always has to pick up the slack, you should demand more consistency. Why is it always you? Talk with your immediate superior about this issue, and they might spread the work around more evenly. If you aren’t taken seriously or ignored, then you can always make a complaint with the HR department. It’s best to provide evidence so start taking notes of any unfair treatment you’re receiving.
If you showed up late for work more than a few times, you’d be hauled into the office to explain yourself. So why do employees allow companies to get away with being inconsistent when they would not be spared? Start demanding it.
When senior employees lose their jobs, the struggle they face to find a new position is very real. There is, unfortunately, a form of age discrimination that can affect their chances to land an exciting role. It is difficult for people over 45 and 50 to convince an employer that they are the right person for the role. Indeed, the older you are, the more difficult it will be for a recruiter to ignore your age. But what does it actually mean to be ‘too old’ for a role? The truth is that employers can’t discriminate against you on the basis of your age. However, more often than not, the discrimination occurs naturally and without the knowledge of a recruiter. Consequently, it is essential to learn effective methods to boost your CV and place it on top of the pile.
1. Start Blogging
Blogging is not new. Blogs have been around since the mid-1990s. However, in recent years, professionals have started measuring the importance of blogging to promote their careers. Indeed, writing a blog can make you more visible in your expert niche. You need to define your area of expertise clearly as this will help to catch your audience. Don’t aim to attract everyone. As a senior, writing regularly about your professional skills and keeping an active social media presence with your readers will make more appealing to an employer. To use a cliché, blogging makes you appear younger and more dynamic, which helps to tackle some of the worries of recruiters.
2. Boost your IT knowledge
It’s never too late to go back to school. However, you need to choose wisely, as you are not in a position to start a new career at an entry level. But, your professional skills might be transferable to a new sector. You could boost your IT management knowledge with the Deakin University to become relevant for project management and IT team leadership positions. Indeed, this kind of IT roles requires someone who has an understanding of modern tech and a long experience of management within a company.
3. Develop games
It would be preposterous to assume that game developers can only be under 30. In reality, the best game developers have over 20 years of experience, meaning that they are the gray-haired IT professionals in the team. Consequently, programmers, designers and system administrators who feel left out in their company because of their ages could move their skills to the gaming sector. Additionally, storytellers are also precious in the world of games! You don’t need to be an IT wiz to make it work.
4. Sell your experience
Freelancing is a term that is often associated with young professionals. But the freelancing industry doesn’t care about your age. In fact, someone who has a lot of experience is preferred to a young graduate. Your business knowledge can become a useful selling tool on the market. And you can be sure that freelancing will make your resume appear more youthful!
Being relevant in the employment market is challenging when you get older. However, you can demonstrate your youthful thinking and your professional dynamism through your online presence, IT projects and freelancing side hustle.
While cushy desk jobs may seem safer than construction work, they still pose risks to your health. Sitting all day is bad for the body on many levels. Lauren Hart of Dragonfly Athletics has graciously created a workout to help our readers stay in motion and out of pain, all without leaving our desks!
Your Desk Job May be Affecting Your Health
The American workforce has changed rapidly over the past 50 years. Manual labor jobs have decreased, while desk jobs—especially those requiring long hours of computer use—have steadily increased. A great number of Americans spend their days seated at a desk for hours at a time, with their only form of exercise coming from their fingers dancing on a keyboard. They mindlessly munch on whatever snacks are within reach, and keep the joints locked in flexed positions that give the appearance of Smeagol with that fish at the forbidden pool.
Over 67% of Americans are either overweight or obese.
In 2016, an estimated 29 million Americans had diabetes, and 95% of those were Type II diabetics.
More than half of American adults have high cholesterol or are taking medications for it.
More than 3 million new arthritis cases are diagnosed each year.
All of these diseases and health factors are caused in part by improper nutrition, but they are massively affected by lack of physical activity. These issues cost employers millions of dollars in both healthcare and lost work hours each year.
If you are locked at your desk all day long with minimal movement, you are putting yourself at risk for a number of diseases and are slowly becoming a liability for your employer. The best way to lower your disease risk is to get moving!
Start Small with Your Exercise Routine
I’m not at all saying you have to jump right into the most intense exercise program you can find. Instead, start small. Every tiny bit of activity you accrue counts.
Set a timer that goes off every 20 minutes. When the timer goes off, stand up for one minute. Move around, wiggle out your legs—whatever. Once this practice becomes a habit, increase to two minutes, then three. Try to work up to ten minutes of standing for every twenty minutes of sitting. Your body and your boss will thank you for it.
At-Your-Desk Stretches
Check out my easy-to-follow video demonstration of five stretches you can do from your desk to alleviate pain and stiffness:
1. Wrist Stretch
Pull your fingers and palm closer to the top of your forearm, and then pull toward the bottom of your forearm (flex and extend the wrist). Hold for 20 seconds each.
2. Scalene Stretch
Tilt your head toward one shoulder, shrug the opposite shoulder up toward your ear, then slowly lower that shoulder down, keeping your head tilted. Perform 5 times on each side.
3. Chest Stretch
Anchor your hand palm facing down on your desk, and rotate your chest away from your arm. Hold for 30 seconds.
4. Psoas Stretch
Stand with your feet staggered, one leg in front, the other a few feet behind. Place the hand that is on the same side as your front leg into the soft spot between the bottom of your rib cage and the top of your pelvis (the side of your waist). Reach with the opposite arm overhead and lean in the direction of the front leg side. Hold for 1 minute and repeat on the other side.
5. QL Stretch
Anchor your hands on your desk with your feet staggered so they are parallel to your desk. The foot to the rear should be the same as the side farthest away from your desk. Press your hips away from your desk and turn your torso toward the ground. Hold for 45 seconds each side.
You’re the kind of person who always likes to be busy. You’re highly productive. You are always on your feet doing this, that and the other. You never get behind with your work – you have the most amazing work drive. So being out of action due to an injury can feel like torture, especially when you love what you do and are stuck at home resting.
While some people heal more quickly by resting constantly, for other people resting all the time can actually impede healing. The fact is that a big part of healing after an injury is linked to your mentality. Now, if resting makes you feel more stressed out, then you won’t heal as quickly, it’s as simple as that.
The good news is that just because you’ve suffered an injury that keeps you from working like you normally would, that doesn’t have to mean that you can’t work at all. It’s all about creativity in these kinds of situations – the more creative you can be, the better. Bearing that in mind, below are some tips and suggestions for ways in which you can work around an injury and stay productive while healing.
Speak to your boss about working remotely
The first step is to talk to your boss about the possibility of working remotely while you heal. Whether this is a possibility will, of course, depend on the industry that you are in. However, it shouldn’t be a problem in most cases as thanks to new technology and online developments, working remotely has become easier than ever. While you heal, it’s best not to work full-time, instead, you might want to consider working part-time so that you still have some time to rest and recuperate.
Find another way to work
If you are not able to work remotely while you are healing, then you might want to try and get creative in regards to how you remain busy. Perhaps now could be the ideal time to start a new hobby, such as blogging, for instance. A hobby can feel like work, which can make it a great way to remove productive while you are healing. Some hobbies even have the potential of becoming future careers, so it can be a great step to start a new hobby to keep busy.
Plan your future
If you know that you will no longer be able to work in the role that you previously worked in, then it’s important that you spend some time thinking about, and planning, your future. If you feel that you are owed any compensation for your injury, then you should consider making a claim and working with specialists like Diamond Injury Law who can help you to get your life back on track more quickly and plan for your future at the same time. If you won’t be able to work in the same role as before, then you might like to spend some time planning for your future by planning to launch a small, home-based business, perhaps?
Ageism is a real threat and something the older generation has to be keenly aware of in the workplace. Being surrounded by hungry colleagues is intimidating especially when their value is overstated. Look at the stats provided by Stack Overflow of industries including the companies located in Silicon Valley, as well as banking and marketing. It pays to be young and hip.
Your fresh-faced peers can’t take all of the blame, however. Older people can generally do themselves a favor by with savvier positioning. Or, they can stop taking it lying down and fight back. Here are four ways to do both.
Be Aware
Be aware of the fact that perception is the reality in the workplace. You may be a computer-savvy woman with an eye for detail who is bubbly and energetic. Still, people will note your age and think that you’re lazy and technologically incompetent. Sadly, it’s the way of the industry. By understanding the dynamic, you can rewrite the script. For example, think about wearing fashionable clothes which are age-appropriate. Tweed makes you seem like a fuddy-duddy. Alternatively, keep your experience to yourself as it’s a reminder that you come from a different era. Stay up to date with modern topics and seamlessly join the conversation without saying “back in my day.”
Never Stop Learning
An area where the previous generation let themselves down is education. Too many middle-aged men and women with careers use their age as an excuse. “I don’t need to bother learning this or that because it’s for the whippersnappers,” is a thought you need to eliminate. Instead, position yourself strategically by educating your brain on the new subjects of the day. Take computer courses and get to grips with the basics, such as Microsoft Office, and move on to sector-related software. Nowadays, tech skills are expected and they don’t leap off the page.
Don’t Put Your Age Down
Telling people that you’re old and past it reinforces the attitude in their head. Imagine if a boss gets wind of these things you are saying. How can they validate paying you a wage when you don’t believe in your ability? Self-deprecating humor is a form of modesty, but it’s also a stick with which the company can beat you later. Let people know in no uncertain terms that your experience is an asset and that you’re not a liability.
File Suit
Most middle-aged men and women find the idea of upsetting the apple cart problematic. Once you stick your head above the parapet, that’s when management’s snipers will take their shots. It’s best to go under the radar. No, it isn’t whatsoever because it says a lot about your personality without you saying a word. There are dozens of misdemeanors in the workplace, and you can see Emroch & Kilduff for more. By filing suit, it proves that you aren’t afraid to fight your corner. So, should they discriminate against you based on your age, they know the matter won’t go away quietly.
If your ultimate goal is reaching the top of the ladder when it comes to your career, then it’s vital you know the tactics and strategies that will get you there. Luckily, this is a subject you can find out all about below, so keep reading to find out how you can make it from the bottom rungs right to the top.
Vigilantly Watch for Promotion Opportunities
First of all, you may wish to put in place an assertive strategy for making your way to the top. What this means is that you deliberately look for and seize opportunities to further your career, raise your pay rate, and get contacts and experience that will make you difficult to pass over when promotion time comes.
To achieve this, you need always to put your name in the hat when positions come up in your current company, even if you don’t think you are particularly qualified, as it will show your employers that you are keen and committed to your career. Such experiences can also help you hone your interview skills and can provide you with feedback that will be invaluable when it comes to applying and interviewing for a promotion that you do want.
It is also a good idea to keep your ear to the ground regarding other opportunities and promotions in companies other than the one you are currently working for. To do this, you may choose to use an alert on a job seeking site or browse the wanted adds on LinkedIn.
Remember to keep your resume up to date with your latest skills and talents too, and evidence of when you used them in a work situation to advantage as well, as this can help you be ready to apply for promotion as soon as they appear.
Get Specialized Training and Experience
Next, if you are looking to climb the ladder, dedicating some time and effort to getting specialized training and experiences in specific areas can be hugely valuable. We’re not just talking about basic things like typing and soft skills here though, but instead training that is directly linked to the particular job and problems you will have to deal with as your progress through your career.
In fact, courses that are much more focused on your field, just like this masters in hotel management are the sort of thing you should be looking for. The reason being that they will have the most value both regarding how they look on your resume and the confidence they will give you at work on a day to day basis.
Practice Patience
Ever seen that picture of the cute ginger kitten hanging from a tree branch, with the caption,”Hang in there underneath?”
Well, this is some excellent advice when it comes to progressing through your career.
The reason is that there are nearly always higher level position available for those who choose to dedicate themselves and make themselves indispensable even to a smaller company. Yes, it may take ten years more and include doing some additional training, but often by not quitting when the going gets tough, you show enough grit and determination to help you achieve your ultimate career goals.
Sometimes we all feel a sense of unhappiness, but while we can feel this come in waves, and subside as soon as it arrives, a lot of people feel perennially unhappy in their working environment. This is a very common issue, but, if you feel like this, what can you do to ensure that it doesn’t just impact your work, but your life too?
Have You Had A Conflict Recently?
A workplace conflict can feel almost as bad as arguing with your significant other. You can dread going into work because that person may be there and you have to work with them in close quarters. It’s not fair on you to feel like you are the victim of something, and likewise, if they are feeling the same way, what can you do to get past this?
On the other hand, you may feel that you’ve not been supported by your line manager, or something happened, like an accident, that could have been prevented, leaving you with a sense of dissatisfaction with the workplace. You could go down the legal route via sites likehttps://www.hugheylawfirm.com/sc/charleston-workers-compensation-attorney/especially if you feel you deserve compensation, but beware, any conflict in the workplace can leave a bad taste in your mouth. In which case, if you are unhappy due to some form of discussion or conflict you can’t get past, is this going to impact your frame of mind every time you walk into work?
Is It Time To Take On New Challenges?
Maybe it’s just the fact that you’re not doing enough to exercise your skills in the working environment. You could always apply for a promotion should an opportunity come up that you feel you are a good fit for; on the other hand, have a chat with one of your superiors and see what can be done for you to work up the ladder in the company, or make a sideways move.
On the other hand, there are ways for you to improve your current performance, onhttps://www.iris.xyz/development/20-ways-improve-your-performance-work/there are 20 simple methods for you to consider. It might be as simple as this, to change your working style; it could reinvigorate your attitudes to the job you’re doing. Once something becomes a well-worn habit, boredom can easily creep in.
What If It’s The Job Itself?
But if you can’t change your attitude to the job, or you can’t alter anything about the role, or your place in the business, is it time to move on? We all deserve to feel like we’ve accomplished something at the end of the day, and we all fall into the typical 9 to 5 pattern because we feel there are essentials in life we have to pay for. And while a lot of people harbor dreams of escaping, they never go through with it, so if you are feeling like this, take the time to research what is out there, and inquire about different industries. You may find that, even if you don’t have the necessary skills for something you want to do, you can take the opportunities to learn about them online.
We can all feel unhappy in the workplace, but if it starts to affect your frame of mind long term, it’s important to get to the root of the problem.
