Your Past Is a Springboard for Moving Forward

Your Past Is a Springboard for Moving Forward

In working with my clients in job search, one of the items we often discuss are what skills they possess that they bring to a potential employer. It may seem on the surface to be an easy or straight forward discussion, but often it is not. That is because we often describe what we do in terms of the tasks we perform. Or we take for granted the skills we possess and may say, “Well I always was the one to do that.” or “That comes easy to me.” However, when looking to connect with someone who does not know us or has little to no familiarity with us, being able to express and demonstrate the skills you possess is essential in making a connection that may ultimately decide if they choose to hire you.

When I was trained as a Career Coach by “The Five O’clock Club,” (now known as the outplacement and career counseling organization “Get Five” headquartered in New York City), I was introduced to an assessment tool they trademarked called “The Seven Stories.” The idea of the assessment was to explore your life, not just your work career, but even those times back to when you were in school, or were a child or adolescent. In identifying those items that you did that you were both proud of and felt a sense of accomplishment, you needed to be able to define what made that story make your list. In doing that for every story listed, the goal was to find common skills and traits that were present in each of the stories listed. Those traits generally defined what were termed “your transferable skills.” Transferable skills are those that not only display skills and talents that you enjoy using, but are ones that usually when you apply them lead to a favorable result both for you and the organization or individuals you are serving at that time.

Many of this month’s writings on the Absolute Transitions, LLC website have been about reflecting on your past in helping you to make one’s way forward through their present and into the next steps in their life. And, while often one will be counseled not to “dwell on the past,” or “become obsessed” about the past, I believe that does not mean that you are to totally cast it aside. I know that I find it can energize me to do so. Sometimes I get inspiration reflecting on relatives and loved ones who have passed on, but taught me lessons that are incorporated into the habits and ways I live my life today. Other times it helps me to change my mindset and attitude to a happier place when I remember and event or episode of life that amused me and made me happy that I had that experience.

We are about to close out another year in our earthly existence. Our planet and culture long ago chose to “mark time,” on a January to December timeframe based on our planet’s orbit around the sun. Society in turn then built on that to mark time as closing out one chapter, (in this case the year 2022) and the opening of another chapter (in this case the year 2023). However, life is not always that neat and orderly. New chapters in our life do not necessarily happen with the change of a calendar year, a set of resolutions, or “a switch” being turned on that implies, “well that is behind me, on to a whole new adventure or way of living.”

I encourage you as you move forward in your life’s journey to continue to build on those items from your past that motivate you, encourage you, comfort you and inspire you. Use them as a basis and a springboard as you continue forward with what is in store for you in the upcoming year. I believe this approach will only enhance the strengths, values, and skills that you already possess, and that when you reflect on it, have always used to help serve and support others as they become part of your life.