I experienced a difficult challenge on one of my projects last year. I certainly felt that it was easier to quit the project and focus my energies on more interesting projects. I listened to myself, my gut feeling said, “Just quit it. You deserve better than this.”

Then I stopped and I said, “What if I just give it one more go? I was experiencing one of the most challenging times in my business, if I pass this challenge, then I am set.”

Guess what I did? I actually got creative and I knew that I was stuck with a challenge and I just did not know how to fix it. It was easier to quit but I decided to give it one last try.

Creating problem solving is key here. I thought about how I can resolve my problem. First, I asked myself, “Do I have the knowledge to solve the problem?” And clearly, I didn’t. I then thought, “Who can I get help from? Do I call the immediate Account Manager to seek their advice or do I call an external person? If I call the immediate Account Manager, it might not go in my favour.”

So I decided to seek external help. I was struggling to think of someone I knew who had encountered the same issue I had. I thought about my extended network and recalled of a person who I really admired. Her name came to mind and I called her on my mobile. Bear in mind, I have only met her about twice. I sent her a thank you card after the first time I met her as I learnt so much from her, she is recognised across Australia.
Coincidentally, that afternoon when I needed help, she was available and I asked her to coach me for an hour in which I happily paid for.

I received the coaching. I gained the knowledge and confidence to stay in the project. I was  resilient and I did not give up.

On the next day that I worked on the client site, I delivered training to a group of senior professionals in the organisation. I implemented the few strategies that I learnt from the coaching session and I achieved one of the biggest milestones in my business. After that day, moving forward, working on this project has been a walk in the park.

What did I learn from this that might be insightful for you?

• It is easier to give up but when you bypass the challenge ahead of you. You grow stronger and you build greater confidence in yourself.

• I felt the fear and the fear was overwhelming me but it is really all an illusion we create within ourselves. The greater our fears, our stress levels go up as well.

• I struggled to get help from my immediate network and I got creative to look for external help from people I don’t know that well, and I received world-class advice. It has taken me 10 steps further in my business.

• When things get tough, it is not easy. But if you have the courage to keep moving forward, you will see that you have more potential within yourself than you realise.

• If you get stuck in your career, find someone you can turn to for sound advice. “Can’t get it from your immediate networks?” Look further. If you can get coaching or mentoring from someone who has more experience than you in terms of Career or Business, the advice you get may simply be what it takes to set you apart from the average professional in the market place.

If you have read this article and you finished reading up until now, thank you 🙂 

If you are interested in one on one coaching from myself, please let me know. We can have our sessions on the phone, online or face-to-face. Invest in your career because you are worth it and you can claim it under self-education expenses as well.

I meet with my Business Mentor once a month and he always keeps me focused on my business goals. We do get side tracked sometimes and I have to say, having the Mentor or a Coach keeps you on track.

Best wishes,

Leonie Lam
Career Coach | Speaker