7 ways to avoid letting envy ruin your career growth

7 ways to avoid letting envy ruin your career growthEven though its ideal to always keep your eyes on your own career, were only human. Its almost impossible elend to look at your friends and colleagues to see where they are in their job, what theyve done by a certain age, and how much theyre making compared to you. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) In fact, envy can be a very useful tool and motivator for rolleal and professional success, provided it comes in the appropriate doses and is put to the best possible use. But if you let it spiral out of its bounds, it can eat you aliveand even ruin your life.Here are a few tips you can follow to make aya youre comparing yourself to others for the good of self-evaluation and motivation, rather than endless comparison that will only lead to anger or unhappiness about others successes.1. Check your reactions.When a close friend or colleague scores a lucky break or achieves something great, what i s your reaction? Are you a seething green monster, or are you excited for them, no matter how motivated you are to accomplish great things yourself? And when something bad happens to someone, are you quietly doing a happy dance or are you truly sympathetic for their hardship? Hint You want to feel good when good things happen to the good people in your life and bad when bad things happen to them. If your reactions are reversed, you have some work to do.2. Get off the Internet.Theres nothing worse for stoking spirals of negative emotion and envy than social media. If you cant be trusted to use Facebook or Instagram without losing oodles of time and your own humanity, just suspend your accounts. Take a break or cut yourself off entirelyespecially if you spend most of the time looking at your high school acquaintances successful lifestyle blog. Its just not worth the risk to your soul.3. Only compete with yourself.If youre comparing yourself constantly with others, restructure your foc us. Instead, start comparing your present self against your past. How much progress have you made? Enough? Too little? Are you actually killing it by this metric? Remember, you usually have no idea where anybody else began, and with what benefits. Its no use playing a silent competition game that you cant win.4. Become the best version of yourself.It is impossible to be authentic and yourself if youre constantly looking outward. Instead, start caring more about your own personal development and less about how others see you, what they do, or what they are. Be original and authentic and get noticed for who you are, not who you envy.5. Focus on taking action to get what you want.You want the momentum that gets you chugging your way to the top? That requires focus, determination, and hard worknone of which youre doing if youre constantly in the hamster wheel of envying your co-workers and friends. Youre also compromising your ability to be an effective networkeralso a crucial piece to your success. Trust yourself enough to be able to sell your capabilities and capacities at the highest possible value, and trust everyone else to take care of themselves.6. Be empathetic.Try putting yourself in someone elses shoes. That person whose successes have you blowing steam out of your ears is impressive and shiny on the outside, but might be harboring all sorts of hurts and challenges within. Try to see past the social media posts to the human underneath.7. Practice gratitude.Instead of coveting every little thing you dont have, try being more grateful for what you do have Your current job. Your current rung on the ladder. How far youve come. This doesnt mean you cant strive for more or better it just means you shouldnt dismiss what youve already earned.

My Lifes Gotten Better Since I Stopped Worrying About These 4 Things at Work

My Lifes Gotten Better Since I Stopped Worrying About These 4 Things at Work What do we worry about most at work? According to Entrepreneur, the four most common workplace worries include getting fired, leid getting that promotion, crippling workloads, and schwimmbad relationships with bosses.Looking at this list of (valid) concerns also made me consider small scale worries. Its the little things like wondering if anyone else noticed you were 15 minutes late to work that really make us sweat the small stuff.Luckily, most of these workplace worries are short term and dont register beyond a few hours on our radar. Here are four of them that Ive stopped stressing about and its really improved my day-to-day life.1. Looking Instagram perfect.A few years ago, I briefly had an office job where it welches an unspoken requirement to look IG ready. The girls working there had hair extensions, sleek manicures, stilettos and contoured makeup ready to go every day.I rolled up dressed in my bes t potato sack.Just kidding. Ive always dressed nicely for work, and it wasnt like I wore pajamas or anything. Still, there was more than one day working there where I fretted over my choice to wear boots and have my hair up in a messy bun.In retrospect and I cant stress this enough worrying about having perfect hair or fingernails was so dumb. It was a complete waste of time How was getting my hair blown out supposed to make me work harder or be a better employee? Gradually, I learned to let it go. I was happy with the way I looked, and thats all that matters.2. Always having the right response.This is a classic worry to have in the office, especially if youre new to a gig and still trying to remind everyone why they hired you. I used to have it and so did Keina Bowling, Marketing Manager at standing desk company Stand Steady.Bowling says that having the correct response was something she used to stress about constantlyComing straight out of college, I always wanted to impress my superiors and give them the right answer.Then, Bowling prepped for meetings the way anyone with this kind of worry might she over prepared and imagined the worst-case scenario. Usually, that meant envisioning getting laughed out of the room for not knowing the answer.Now, Bowling is much more confident and doesnt let not knowing something get to her. She even has a reply ready for that former worst-case meeting scenario I have learned that sometimes I dont know. I can look into it and get back to you. is a perfectly acceptable response.3. Being too young.If youre worried that youre too young to be taken seriously, the good news is that youll (eventually) grow up and age out of that concern. In the moment, however, nothing can feel more irritating than seemingly being judged for your age when youre trying to prove you can accomplish great things.Age was a former worry for Kate Gorman, Founder and CEO of Fort Mason Games. Before she became the CEO of a mobile game company, Gorman was one of the youngest people at her job. She constantly worried about her age and being so young.What kind of advice would Gorman go back in time and give her younger self? Be more confidentI realize that its contributions that are more important than age. Bring strong contributions to the table. This is much more important than worrying about what you might not have or how you may be different than others, she said.4. People liking me.If Entrepreneur added a fifth worry to their listicle, it would be the question of whether or not youre likeable in the workplace.Currently, Im on what is referred to as my second tour of duty at a once-former job. I worked there for three years, left to explore other careers during a sabbatical-esque stint, and returned again. Ive been back for a second time three years more, and the me in the workplace now is so different than who I was the first time around. I used to be incredibly quiet and self-conscious. Now, Im much more relaxed and talkative. Co uld I have been this way the first time around, knowing what I know now?Jennifer Brick, Founder of Capdeca Solutions, also used to have the same concerns.I used to worry that I dont know if people like me at work, she admits.Theres an inverse relationship for women in leadership to likeability and level.As time progressed, Brick realized her job wasnt to be everyones best friend. Much like Gorman advised, it was to let Bricks contributions guide her forward. Now, she cares about having her achievements acknowledged and letting her results speak for themselves.

Coping with rejection while job hunting

Coping with rejection while job hunding Coping with rejection while job huntingPosted October 13, 2011, by Josie Chun Dealing with rejection is never easy, and when youve been sending out job application after application only to receive rejection letters back, its easy to get disheartened. But dont lose hope. As hard as it can be to take, rejection is a normal part of the job-hunting process and will help you to learn and grow. Learn from your mistakes and make every rejection lead you one step closer to a job offer. Until you get there, here are some tips for keeping your spirits up during your job search. Dont take it personally Its easy to take rejection personally. But remember there are usually a variety of factors that play into a recruiters decision-making process. From how well youll fit into the team to whether or not the company can afford your asking salary, an offer can depend on the stars aligning. Also bear in mind, there can be hundreds of applicants for one single jo b.So, its not necessarily about your skillset and personality, but how well you stack up against the other applicants. Unfortunately, only one person can get the job. Its ok theres another position out there with your name on it. Focus on your strengths Remember that you have excellent skills and qualities that will be perfectly suited to another company and position its all about finding the right fit. Focus on your strengths and achievements and make a list so youll be able to describe them with confidence and enthusiasm at your next bewerbungsgesprch. And every time you get a piece of positive feedback, add that to the list. Mandy Edkins, a counselling psychologist, suggests that if youre struggling to think of things youre good at, ask your friends and colleagues what they would list as your strengths. We are often so focused on the negatives that we dont binnensee what others see in us Understanding your strengths will also help you find a job thats perfect for your skillse t. Find ways to improve Reflect on your job-hunting approach whether that be the contact phone call, email, cover letter or your resume to see if theres something you could improve upon. In your application, did you address each of the selection criteria specifically and highlight the ways that you could benefit the company? Did you proofread all your correspondence to make sure it was error-free, and spell the name of the interviewer correctly? If you went in for an interview but didnt get the job, its always a good idea to politely ask for feedback to help you for next time. Many interviewers are happy to provide this and you can always ask them to keep you in mind should a more suitable role come up. Mandy Edkins points out that it can be reassuring to find out why you didnt get the job, rather than letting your imagination run wild thinking the worst. Take the feedback youre given on board, think about what you could have done differently to give a better interview, and if the re are gaps in your skillset, perhaps theres a course you could do to help fill that. Remember that in a competitive job market, just getting an interview is no mean feat and is something you should feel good about. Also keep in mind that being a good interviewee takes practice, so every interview you do is providing you with valuable experience. Also acknowledge what you did well and understand that some things are out of your control. Learn from every experience, but after that let it go and move on to the next application. Treat every new opportunity as a fresh chance Dont let yourself get jaded and bogged down in negativity, because every day is a new day and every application is a fresh opportunity. Concentrate on the present and treat every new job application as the one that could come through. Your positivity and enthusiasm will come through in your language, tone of voice and body language. Do other things that make you feel good Treat job-hunting as a job give yourse lf a schedule and stick to it, and give yourself realistic daily goals. But make sure you also continue to do other things that make you feel good and help you to relax exercise, socialise, go for a walk or swim, have a nice meal or go to the movies. Its also important to have someone to talk to and bounce your thoughts and feelings off that could be a good friend, your partner, a personal coach or mentor. Job hunting is never easy, so emotional support is always welcome. Talking with others about their job hunting experiences will also show you that everyone experiences rejection in their search for a job. If you need to, take a break If youve been on the job hunt for some time, it may help to give yourself a mini-break to refresh and re-energise. Taking yourself somewhere for the weekend, away from the computer and mobile, could be just what you need. Even going for a bushwalk or to the beach for an afternoon can do wonders for clearing your mind and you will return to your de sk renewed and ready to tackle your next application. Be philosophical Try to remember that no matter how perfect a job may seem, if you dont get it then it wasnt meant to be. Like romances that dont work out, its often only in retrospect that you realise that a failure can be for the best and one rejection can pave the way for another spectacular opportunity. For all you know, you may have dodged a bullet. Keep the faith Finding a job requires persistence and resilience. Try to learn from every experience on your job hunt journey, and improve on your resume writing and interviewing skills. Keep reminding yourself that rejection is a natural part of the process, everyone experiences it and landing a job is really a numbers game. The more applications you send out and the more interviews you have, the greater your chances of success. Mandy Edkins also suggests that you regularly give yourself helpful, positive messages, like I am going to find a job that I love, I am making positiv e changes in my life, and I have the opportunity to create my future the way I want it to be. Where our thoughts go, our actions tend to follow. So dont give up, because your dream job could be right around the corner. ResourcesMy first resumeCover letter for my first jobCareer Insider StoriesShelley Lask - Body Positive Health & FitnessInterested in becoming a?Human Resources OfficerGeneral ManagerBusiness ManagerAccountantOffice AdministratorPopular Career Searches11 top tips for effective time managementeffective oral and written communication skillsattention to detail skillsdefine communication skillshow to demonstrate high literacy and numeracy skills CoursesBachelor of Social WorkEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Health AdministrationEnquire Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Criminal JusticeEnquire Online Enquire OnlineCertificate III in Allied Health AssistanceEnquire Online Enquire OnlineJosie ChunRelated ArticlesBrowse moreBeauty TherapyMassageHealing handsFo r anyone who enjoys interacting with people and who loves hands-on, physical work, working as a massage therapist can be an ideal and flexible career choice.AgricultureBen Weber - Senior Analyst, PPB AdvisoryI enjoyed economics at school and spent every holiday and my first year after school working on my uncles property in the Riverina so it agribusiness was just a marriage of the two really.The end of Work ChoicesJulia Gillard has introduced Labors new industrial relation laws to parliament spelling the end of the Howard Governments Work Choices.