Curate the Future

Jing Jin was a computer scientist at Apple who had the itch to explore the world of startups. She started - and let go of - her own company, and is now at another startup. She talks about the identify shifts that come with pushing ourselves to try new things, dropping the "shoulds" that keep so many of us playing it safe, how ideas that don't work are simply part of the process for a creative person, and she's learned to endure - and welcome - failures. 

Career change or starting a business are not easy, but the human mind makes things harder by filling our thoughts with cognitive distortions. Just because we think something doesn't make it true, and we don't question enough what we're thinking. So today I'm showing how common thoughts most anyone has about career change are actually 10 kinds of cognitive distortions. If you know what steps you could take to pursue a business or career change, but you're not doing them, there's a good chance that cognitive distortions are at play.

Engineering is not usually a field thought of as a second career chapter, right? Mel Butcher went back to school to become an engineer after earning her first degree in language and working in government. Imposter syndrome and misogynistic views of women in STEM were some of the hurdles she encountered. But Mel focused on her belief that she could just learn what she needed to learn, and she wants to share that message with other women who want to take on a big career change challenge.

The new year - especially this one - is a time of reflection and looking back at where we've come from and where we're going. Here are some thoughts on being mindful of where you put your attention, and focusing on your excitement about future possibilities.

Sometimes the path unfolds through a series of saying "yes" without always knowing where it will lead. Nicole Papaioannou Lugara was working as an adjunct English instructor when she took a new job as an instructional designer. Now she's a freelancer - something she thought she'd never do - with a career she couldn't have imagined years ago. She shares her story of how she got established, including how she went from doubtful about the idea to being fully committed, and how making that commitment was the turning point for things to take off.

Rachel Kois is the founder of SimpleSwitch.org, an online store selling products from companies making a positive social or environmental impact.  In our chat Rachel shares the ups and downs of getting a social impact business going in 2020, suggestions for getting a mentor, and a reminder that periods of doubt or low motivation do not mean you're not good enough. 

If you feel like you're on the cusp of making a decision about your next professional direction, but still not...quite...there...you might be in the group of people who actually do know what they want but have a hard time admitting it. Three sneaky things might be going on. This is the third part of the mini series on stages of clarity. 

How would it feel to work your tail off, only to find that in the end...it still wasn't enough? As a political fundraiser for female candidates, Zee Cohen-Sanchez has worked on headline-big congressional wins. She has also redefined failure - even when the outcome isn't what we'd hoped for, success can be found in the doing, not just the done. Shifting perspectives on failure isn't easy, but it might be the key to finally going for what you want.

Being a multipassionate person feels like a blessing and a curse, right!? It's great to see lots of possibilities for yourself, but it can also be frustrating to make a decision when you're spinning in circles, wanting to do everything and finding it hard to choose. Everything seems like an option, yet nothing really stands out. Here are 5 things that can keep multipassionates stuck and what to look out for to finally get some career change clarity.

For Virginia Mendez, what started as a side project to write a children's book, while working in corporate, led to starting TheFeministShop.com, an e-comm business based on her passion for feminism. She shares how the idea has grown into something bigger than she would have predicted at the start. Hear her advice for those who are thinking of starting their own business, especially if you're concerned that there are so many other people already doing what you want to do.