Page 30 - FDI Alliance International Magazine. Spring 2021 Digital Interactive Issue

→ THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT CAREER

STORIES TO LAND IDEAL WORK

The easiest way to figure out your career story used to get us attention. If we repeat the same isn’t a snob and you can be yourself around. Perfect
is to create career stories cards. This exercise stories, people see us the same way. Our career for the first-time jewelry buyer.
is adapted from a playwriting exercise. Find a grows stagnant because we aren’t sharing our
quiet space and ask yourself, “When did I have strengths. When you’re planning your career stories,
Stories are a powerful force in our lives—both the actions don’t match your goals. For example, control it. Notice your breath as you listen to the an incredible time at work? What was a specific especially on a place like LinkedIn, think about your
ones we tell ourselves and those we tell others if you’re in a board meeting and you stay quiet music. After 30 seconds of this, notice when you moment that I felt alive and almost like time You can make any of your stories stronger by: audience and the story they tell themselves. If they
about our work. The first thought people have instead of sharing a fact, note what you’re saying inhale. Ride the breath for another few seconds. stopped?” When a memory comes up, write that • Starting your story closer to the action tell themselves an elite story—like they only work
about landing ideal work is that they need to to yourself in that moment that holds you back. And then, when you inhale say to yourself, aloud moment down on an index card. Do this daily for with the best—you want to tell stories that confirm
update their resume, but that’s not the first step. or in your head, “I love myself.” Exhale, let it seven days. After seven days, review your story • Adding in details that for them. Confirming that for them could look
The first step is to examine three stories, the story • Notice what you say to yourself when you go. Keep repeating, “I love myself” or another cards and identify which strengths you used in • Making sure the character (often you) goes like writing about research you’re doing, sharing a
you tell yourself, the story you tell others, and the are complimented. positive phrase you connect with for the duration each story. Write those skills on the reverse side through a change client success stories, telling a tale about how you
story your target tells themselves. Sometimes you do work that deserves recognition, of the song. of the index card. work to improve yourself, or a special project you
but you refuse to believe the praise. If someone THE STORY PEOPLE TELL THEMSELVES were invited to be part of. All of these over time show
THE STORY YOU TELL YOURSELF was to say to you, “I was impressed with how you This meditation will do a few things for you. First, it For example, if your happy work moment was you’re expertise and status.
handled that meeting,” what is your first reaction? will ensure you say something positive to yourself collaborating on a sales presentation, the strengths The last part of a story strategy is to know who
To land ideal work, you need to feel worthy of If your first reaction is guilt, disbelief, or denial, daily. Second, once you feel that love, you act would likely be: collaboration, strategy, customer you’re telling the story to, and what kind of story The stories we tell for career advancement aren’t
landing ideal work. If you want to make a career that’s a sign to work on your inner story. differently. You say no to projects that won’t help insight, visual thinking, and getting things done. they tell themselves. for us, they help others see how we can help
move but you say things to yourself like: you grow your career. You speak up for yourself. them. And since stories are so memorable, you
Once you have examined the story you tell yourself, The external actions start matching the internal Do this for each card. There’s a jeweler in my city who makes radio ads want to be intentional about which ones you tell.
• “I’m not the kind of person who gets to do determine if it needs to be updated. If most of your story, and you’ll be ready to share more of yourself with his wife. In their ads, he plays a character who
meaningful work.” self-talk is positive and you know you are worthy to land ideal work. Then compare the strengths lists and see which isn’t that smart. His wife is always correcting him.
• “I should be happy with what I have already.” of landing ideal work, move onto improving your strengths you use repeatedly. Are there three that
• “No one values or understands me.” external story. If you notice most of your self-talk THE STORY YOU TELL OTHER PEOPLE you used in almost every story? That’s your career The other day, I said to my husband, “I don’t know
is negative, work on changing what you say to brand. why he does ads like this—he sounds stupid. If I’m
It is hard to show up as an incredible candidate. yourself. Common concerns when creating a story strategy going to drop thousands on jewelry, I want a
Your internal stories are not positive affirmations— include, “What should I say to hook them? What Which stories can you share in-person, on LinkedIn, competent jeweler.”
they are the stories you’re living and modeling. • The “I love myself” meditation story makes me look smart? How can I get hired in a blog, or during a presentation that show you
They support or hold you back from making One of my favorite ways to help people with a story?’ using these skills. Try to tell stories that emphasize My husband said, “You’re not his target audience.”
career moves. improve their internal story, is the “I love myself” When you build a story strategy, it is rarely about these top three to four skills. That way when KERRI TWIGG
meditation. To start, choose a piece of music that one perfect story, it’s about having multiple stories people hear about you, everyone says the same Right.
Here are a few ways to examine the story you is under 10 minutes and brings you joy. Sit in a that reinforce the skills you’re trying to highlight. thing. career-stories.com
tell yourself: comfortable position, could be on a coach, in bed, His target audience is people who don’t know
• Track your negative thoughts. or an outdoor place. Put on your headphones Your work is to know what you’re selling. What This stops you from relying on stories that are out- anything about jewelry and feel ashamed about info@career-stories.com
Use a small notebook or app to track your and play the music. Settle into the song. At first, three strengths do you bring to every venture you dated. We can get comfortable telling stories that it. The jeweler repeats the story of someone that
thoughts for a week. Pay attention to when your pay attention to your breath—don’t change or touch?

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