Hills are the Wrong Time to Reflect
Going through a career swoon? It's okay. Know that it's temporary.
The eclipse wasn't the only overlap I saw today.
This morning, a good friend and former coworker was laid off after a frustrating run at his company. He saw it coming, but it doesn't lessen the blow. I tried to think of something kind to say that didn't sound like a platitude.
It hurt to see someone so talented had been cast aside by his company. (Oh and if you'd like an introduction to a really talented Product person in the AI space, please reach out.)
In the afternoon, I went for my first outside run of the year, taking advantage of 65 degree weather in New England.
I wasn't used to running hills and when I hit a monster hill, I was dragging. I questioned whether I'd even finish my run. Should I walk it home? I pressed on. Five minutes later, I was cruising down a steep downhill wondering if 45 was too old to try out for the Olympics. 😀
So, where's the overlap?
I realize that gauging my condition on a hill is dangerous. I am susceptible to getting discouraged on the uphills and overconfident on the downhills. Careers aren't too different. I've had bad experiences, like most of us. But in each case, it's easy to go beyond self-reflection and question my abilities in an extreme, unhealthy way.
The opposite is true too. I've had accomplishments that made me feel untouchable. Of course, I wasn't as good as I thought I was in those moments. As Scott Galloway likes to say, "Things are never as good or bad as you think they are."
I've learned to be wary of self-reflection when times are very good or very bad. It distorts reality. Because in reality, I'm (metaphorically) a solid runner, who gets stronger with the uphills and reaps the awards of the downhills.
I shared with my friend this perspective. But I thought it was worth passing along to anyone here on LinkedIn going through tough professional times. It's just an uphill. You're not as weak as you might feel. In fact, you're getting stronger.