We all have them. They come is different shapes, sizes, categories, forms, and represent, for all, very different things. When I was a kid, I had to close the closet door before getting into bed…because that’s where my Boogeyman lived. I am happy to say I never met it, but I knew I had one and he scared the stuff out of me. This shapeless monster carried a lot of weight in my life. And now as an adult, I have shared this conversation many times and learned that most of us had or still have a Boogeyman.
Fast forward to my role as a career coach working with college students and mid/senior level execs looking to pivot, I see the Boogeyman representing something much different. My clients often share reasons why they can’t, won’t, shouldn’t do something which is often fueled by FEAR. I listen and get it, but what I need is one reason why they can, will and should do whatever it takes to move their career forward. This is their Boogeyman and it needs to be dealt with. You cannot just close the closet door, hide from the shadows, ignore the weird noises, thunderstorms, thunder and lightning.
When you are dealing with career development, it requires courage, strength, bravery, confidence, being fearless, a sense of POWER, consistency, the ability to recognize all your resources and utilizing them. The one thing you must ignore is your inner Boogeyman. If you let it get in your way, you slow down your professional and personal growth. You won’t find fulfillment that way. Fear can motivate us, but it can also cripple us. Deal with your Boogeyman and manage things.
