Work In Colour - Work. Think. Live. In Colour
Tuesday 27th July 2010 | 6 comments
One of my favourite quotes is from American poet Muriel Rukeyser:
The world is made of stories, not atoms.
Stories aren't just for children, or indulgent afternoons on the sofa. They are are equally important in the world of work.
I did a post a while ago about the 7 qualities of a good business story but lately I've been working with my Escape Hatch career change clients on their personal career stories - looking at the ways in which their training, passions, jobs and interests weave into a timeline or tell a tale.
It's proved to be really useful, in seeing patterns and making sense of what might have previously seemed to be a hodge-podge of work experiences. It's a great preparation for serious career change work.
Here are three different ways of playing with your story - you can pick one, all three, or forge a story by combining the elements from different techniques that appeal to you.
Draw a map of your jobs, education, training, talents, skills, passions and interests, from childhood to the present day. First, draw a road or path (a timeline) to represent your life from birth to the present. Mark off the years by drawing, say, 5 year milestones at the side of the path.
Next, moving along the path, draw symbols or pictures or jot down words to represent the birth of a particular talent, skill, passions or interest. Record your jobs, education, training. Find a way to mark changes in direction (a fork in the road, maybe?) and any 'aha' moments or other significant events.
For each milestone, jot down the age you were as close as you can - if you don't know exactly when it first emerged, make a guess.
If you keep a journal, or enjoy 'free form' writing, you can try telling your career story as a narrative, either a first person ('I') story, or as if it was a tale told by another person ('he' or 'she'). Are you a hero(ine), a victim or a hapless traveller on storm-tossed seas? You can tell it in a particular style, such as melodrama, comedy, serious philosophical rave, whatever seems right. Start when you were young and move chronologically through your life, or write a series of episodes focusing on milestones or turning points.
Psychologically, it seems the non-dominant hand (whether right or left) carries a lot of the disowned, buried, rejected, vulnerable parts of us. This 'other hand' expresses things that you may have judged as wrong...awkward, child like, vulnerable, raw emotions perhaps. It often expresses what you really feel and think (not what the 'socialised' you thinks you feel...). It can be a great relief to express these things safely (to yourself), it can be extremely liberating and creative.
Find a quiet place and some uninterrupted time. Grab some paper and pens (try a few, e.g. texta, crayon, pencils, whatever) and play with writing / drawing with your non-dominant hand (if you are right handed, this is your left hand, and vice versa).
Now, ask yourself about the story of your working life, and write what comes, using your non-dominant hand. You can also do the journalling narrative in the section above, in your other hand. Or do it in your usual hand, then comment on it while writing with the non-dominant hand.
After you've written your story, have a look at it to see if you can find any patterns, clues or common threads. Were you always interested in clothes, or self-sufficient, or into learning about stuff?
Four great questions to ask as you reflect:
So, what's your career story?
I moved from Brisbane to Sydney following my partner. After being regularly rejected because I was a Qld lawyer rather than NSW, I gave up and eventually opened my own firm. That has been going so well I'm now considering closing as the expenses have continually exceeeded income, I can no longer service the expenses, and of course I have yet to make $1 profit. So much for both undergrad and postgrad law degrees.
Now THAT'S a career to be envied isn't it?
David, thanks for your honest comment. Certainly it's a story that needs changing, I think...not to deny the truth, but to recast it in terms of lessons learned, strengths used and future possibilities.
As a recovering lawyer (I had twenty years on and off in various arms of the law) and a current small business owner, I've travelled along a similar road, maybe. Always happy to have a coffee if you'd like a chat.
Hi David
It is a bit like being a Yoga teacher in rural Australia. You work had, you keep abreast with your professional development, you set up a room so people can work in comfort, you advertise and overdeliver on your services. You commit yourself to available every single week of the year. And can cover anything but wages. My expenses are covered - no more no less.
It is interesting to write with the left hand. It automatically writes in German and I did not even notice until just now when I planned to write the post. I wrote about pancakes that I loved eating in the old town of Duesseldorf, nice people that I met there, the fact that I have too many degrees, that I like to see the world through the eyes of a university graduate and that I still don't really know where my current life is heading.
GREAT tool!
Will do more of it. I can surprise myself this way and trigger things I did not expect
Thanks Joanna
Astrid, thanks for your story. It's one of the many things that are hard to understand about this world sometimes, isn't it? I had the same issues as a wannabe fulltime writer...so now I have what they call 'portfolio careers' where I do a few things, not just one.
Astrid, my last response referred to your first comment about yoga teaching (but you knew that, yes?). I'm really pleased that you enjoyed trying writing with your other hand - it can be a most amazing tool! Let me know how it goes for you.
If you (or anyone else) wants more on this, just email and I'll send you a longer worksheet.