Nimita is an organisational psychologist with over 10 years’ experience across public and private sectors, specialising in leadership development, assessment and coaching. Nimita also works with clients in an individual coaching capacity, in particular helping people to identify and develop careers with purpose and meaning. She is a member of the British Psychological Society as well as a member of the Division of Occupational Psychologists and Coaching Psychologists.
“…On a psychological level, we are hard wired to respond to a cheering squad from the moment we are born…”
‘Isolation is a dream killer’ – Barbara Shear
I can count on one hand the number of people in my life I considered as part of my very own ‘career change dream team’ when I decided to walk away from a soul crushing job in the corporate world. In hindsight I realise just how fundamental my cheerleaders were for me to make a meaningful shift.
Motivation to look past your blind spots
When I needed it most, they provided words of encouragement, a boost of energy and motivation, and even a reality check when I couldn’t see past my own blind spots! But most importantly, my dream team rooted for me relentlessly when I was starting to lose faith in my path; sometimes because of my own doubts and fears but especially when the words of naysayers would penetrate deeper than the optimists.
Giving you the courage to take the leap of faith
Now, when I work with clients who desperately want to change career, I am convinced that having your own dream team really can mean the difference between having the courage to take the leap of faith to pursue a meaningful path versus remaining stuck and unfulfilled at work.
On a psychological level, we are hard wired to respond to a cheering squad from the moment we are born. Consider a baby on the brink of learning to walk, from crawling to taking their first albeit, wobbly step; the parents are incessantly cheering them on and encouraging their every milestone (however small it may be). This type of reinforcement is a form of cheerleading and it encourages us to continue making strides throughout our lives.
Vital part of any game plan
A dream team is a vital part of any game plan, and career change is no exception. Whether it is a health related goal to stop smoking, exercising to lose weight or even to run a marathon! Your very own dream team can lead to permanent behaviour change so you can continue to reach for the sky and achieve your wildest dreams.
So who do you have on your bench cheering you on? If it is only a few people or perhaps no one at the moment then don’t worry as there are always ways to identify your supporters and cultivate your very own dream team.
Picking your dream team
The people that you live with are key because of their vicinity, your family / relatives, friends and co-workers tend to be next for enlisting support. However consider expanding your support network by utilising the internet.
In the age of social media, there is a group or forum out there for almost everything and you will even find there are people in similar situations as yourself. Consider using useful sites such as Meetup.com or Ning.com to build an online community to make connections. You can even find groups local to you, where you can attend meetings and see if there is support for you there.
Celebrate your triumphs (however small)
You don’t need to have extravagant celebrations, but it is important to reward yourself each time you achieve a short term goal. Reinforcing the behaviour psychologically will make it more likely that it will continue.
Finally, whilst creating a dream team is important, don’t forget that you can also be your own head cheerleader too!
Nimita@thecareerpsychologist.com
