ADHD and Your Inner Career Game
For many years, career assessments have been offered as a way to identify “the best” career option.
But let’s face it, how often have you taken an assessment and identified a career direction that you follow up on and really went for it? Or did you skip the informational interview part and go directly to choosing a major or identifying a master’s program that you thought was the best fit. Later, you may have discovered it was not a fit at all. Why? You skipped the most important part:
SELF-REFLECTION
As a tribe of over-thinking folks, you may often skip self-reflection when you need it most. Part of self-reflection means identifying and “owning” our preferences.
Strengths have little to do with this. Strengths mean that you might have a skill that you are stronger in than others. These strengths might even come easily to you. You might have a personality trait that is more likely to direct you toward a specific career or job. Yet “identify your strengths” seems to be a constant in the language of career choice. Less so with identifying your preferences.
The truth is, your preferences are far more important than your strengths. Identifying, knowing and OWNING your preferences will lead you on the path of least resistance when it comes to identifying a lifelong career path.
What our strengths DO NOT tell us, however, is that you might be considering using them in a career or job not because you have deeply reflected on how important it is to use this skill or characteristic, but rather, it just makes the most sense….at the moment.
Our inner game is often taken out of context when it comes to career choices. There is a load of career-related mumbo jumbo that can take you out of your true inner-game.
For example, I have worked with a number of HR professionals. Many of these folks believed, going in, that they were going to help, serve and perhaps even effect change in the corporate landscape, while helping employees. Most were disillusioned when they learned that everything they studied for and thought they were signing up for could not have been further from reality. Many found the HR environment competitive, less employee-oriented and expected to follow the corporate line versus use of their own instincts and “best practices.” Many felt trapped and disillusioned.
I think you can only imagine how that feels as an adult with ADHD. Feeling trapped for anyone is not a recipe for success and happiness. But for us, the repercussions can be devastating.
Few of those seeking a true, heartfelt and happy career direction that supports an inner-game is often the road less travelled. It involves a deep-dive into the truth of who you are, what your true needs and preferences are, and in what way you are wired to really make a difference in your life and livelihood over the long haul.
This article is not a “step by step.” It is meant to awaken within you the idea/notion that to truly land on the right path toward a fulfilling, happy livelihood, requires far more than checking off options from a list, taking an assessment or signing up for a program that trains you to be in one of the top 10 careers for ADHD adults.
It is a spiritual journey that starts with owning your preferences – those that you can’t live without. Ask yourself this: Am I truly ready to take the journey and discover the truth that stems or starts with my inner game? It may not look anything like you imagined. It may be a bit scary and/or seemingly daunting. Is it worth it to really and finally know what you are supposed to do even if you don’t yet know “how?”
If you feel compelled to go through a series of questions that will help you discover your readiness to take this journey, feel free to contact me via text at 830-237-2735 or email shell.mendelson@gmail.com. I would be thrilled to take you through these questions at no cost. Whatever you decide to do from there, at least you will know.