I distinctly remember the moment- I was sitting on the couch in my grad school apartment- it was early Spring and I was writing my thesis to finish up my Masters at the University of Wisconsin. I received a call from a senior HR leader at IBM, inviting me to come join his team in Raleigh, NC. While I was super excited, I didn’t know anything about the city – I don’t think I could even locate it on a map at that time. I came to town with San Francisco roots (and a wee bit of a West Coast attitude to boot) and thought to myself: how could this place ever measure up?
Guess what? It didn’t.
But only because I had pre-determined it was going to be a not-so-great experience….and guess what? It wasn’t. I lasted about 9 months and then took another job within the company in the Northeast.
After a short stint in Westchester, I had an opportunity to move back to Raleigh, for another opportunity within the company, and this time I chose to believe the opposite. I chose to believe it would be an awesome experience; I chose to invest in getting to know the city better, to seek out like-minded people, and to throw myself into the social scene. As a result, I made some lifelong friends, discovered incredible growth opportunities, developed a spiritual practice, and became a certified yoga teacher. The city hadn’t changed, but my perspective sure had.
Why share this story? Because I have suffered on and off throughout my life thinking things were being done to me. Now I realize I get to choose - on a regular basis - how I view things happening in my life. We all get this choice. On a daily – even moment-to-moment – basis, you get to choose how you perceive your reality. It sort of reminds me of the Henry Ford quote: whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right. Instead of thinking why is this happening to me, consider what my friend Mike Robbins always says: why is this happening for me.
Why Shifting Your Mindset Is So Important
A few years ago, I wrote an article about shifting your mindset toward your job. The core of that article still holds true: when you do the work to change your mindset, everything else begins to shift as well, on and off the job.
- You may work harder, but the work is easier: When you love what you do, you get into a state of flow so that work feels effortless and you get more done..
- Overall performance improves for yourself and others: It’s much easier to commit to a project when you believe in the work. And when others see you putting in the effort, they will too. You become the light that shines so others can see.
- Other areas of your life benefit: Personal relationships, extracurriculars, and your mental and physical health get a boost when you choose to see the possibilities instead of the obstacles.
- You create a flow: You know that feeling when you are so engaged in something that time just flies by? That is a byproduct of mindset - choose to be deeply engaged, and you can enter a flow state.
Of course, doing the work to change your mindset if you’re stuck in a job you don’t like can feel impossible. And if you’re not in a position to quit, how are you supposed to stay engaged with a bigger picture that makes no sense or doesn’t align with your passions and goals?
Find the Personal Connection to Your Company
When I did that stint in the Northeast, I worked in the services division of IBM. We’re talking about a huge company, with tons of people, where it was easy to feel like a cog in the machine. I needed to find something about the work I could connect to; otherwise, I knew I wouldn’t last long.
One evening, I encountered another late-night IBMer and he and I shared a passion for diversity. He invited me to help him launch the first-ever Black Executive Network at IBM. This is what I was searching for - I had found something I could be passionate about. I deeply connected to getting this new initiative off the ground and found myself more in that flow state. Through that work, I created a deep connection to the company, and I stayed at IBM for eight years.
Even if you’re not 100% on board with your company’s mission, try focusing on some particular part of your job, the company, or the people you serve. Can you connect to the ways your company makes customer lives better or easier or creates opportunities? Failing that, can you, like I did, create something you're passionate about that connects you to the company?
If none of that is working, consider the people working right next to you (likely virtually, these days!). Do you have a colleague or leader who inspires you to do your best work? How would things change for you if you committed yourself to show up for them every day of the week?
What if Nothing Works?
I’m a realist and don’t believe in banging your head against the wall. At the end of the day, if you’ve considered all of the different ways you might connect with your company’s mission or vision, and you’re still not finding it, maybe you are in the wrong place. When we try to fit a square peg into a round hole, all that is created is frustration.
Even in choosing to stay or go, it is all about mindset. If you take a crappy mindset to a new job, your troubles will follow you. Had I brought my original mindset back to Raleigh when I moved there for the second time, I guarantee you it would have been a short stay. Instead, I took an active approach to create opportunities for myself. The same can extend to work. Any job, place, or situation can be wonderful or terrible - if you simply decide that it is so.
How has your relationship with your mindset impacted your life and career? I would love to hear about your experiences.
