How to Turn Career Obstacles Into Opportunities

I am attending a convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico and I had the privilege of hearing Emmy Award recipient Byron Pitts speak. Mr. Pitts is an author as well as a correspondent for 60 Minutes and CBS News. Listening to him speak allowed me hear an awesome story about a man who overcame powerful odds to become one of the best journalists of our time. He did something that many of us fail to do: he made decisions about his career, despite his problems and turned his obstacles into opportunities. I am guilty of observing and assessing the career achievements of others without fully comprehending their struggles; their level of dedication and sacrifice; their obstacles and problems and Mr. Pitts is no exception. I had no idea that he was illiterate until the age of 12, that he stutters, and that he actually failed English in school! I mean, he is an award-winning journalist, right? I found myself thinking about my career problems as he engaged the audience and I decided to rid myself of the following:

Pride- This tricky part of my character allows me to get in the way of myself. There have been times when I've needed help, but was too proud to ask for it because I didn't want to seem inferior. I'm not exactly sure who told me that I was the greatest, but now that I think about it, I probably told myself! After all, my friend pride allows me to boast in areas where I should be humble enough to use the expertise of others instead of feeling as though I am sufficient. Pride hinders me from admitting my faults; thus improving in areas where I actually fall short.

Shame-This inconsistent piece of my makeup rears its head at the most inopportune times because of its deep emotional roots and relatives. Humiliation and guilt, two cousins of shame, are tied to my shortcomings and instead of becoming better, I become embarrassed. At any given time, if I fail to meet my own self-imposed expectations, I become my own worst critic. Shame attacks my level of authenticity and my ability to be genuine; which oftentimes leaves my problems unresolved. It is impossible for me to get rid of a problem when I am not willing to welcome a solution.

Mediocrity-This low quality, comfortable portion of my being allows me to settle. Being mediocre tells me that good is good enough, which couldn't be further from the truth. I cannot afford to underperform and have given myself a goal of at least above average when it comes to performance. I understand I am always learning, evolving, and becoming, but I also acknowledge that in order to be my best, I can't be afraid to become better.

I realized after attending the session with Mr. Pitts that I can no longer have a mindset of defeat when I encounter problems that impact my career. Not only am I capable of overcoming obstacles and turning them into opportunities, I will no longer allow my obstacles to hinder my success.

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