This month’s dossier is all about how to Make It (that could be anything) Happen in 2012. To tie in with that, author of Screw Work Let’s Play and founder of Scanners Night, John Williams, took over our twitter for an hour to answer your questions in 140 characters. We collected questions over a day from Facebook and Twitter and passed them onto John.
Hi, John Williams here, author of Screw Work Let’s Play & founder of Scanners Night. For the next hour I’m answering your #makeithappen Q’s
We’ve got some great questions already in but do send more if you have them.
Rosie Wyatt asks: How do I face deep-seated fears and move forwards? #makeithappen
Rosie, the two things I know work are long term therapy and the short-term quick fix of NLP or hypnotherapy. They work together well in fact.
Chloe ‘Pidge’ Spirals asks: How can I make my next career move when there are so many people competing over the jobs I want. #makeithappen
Chloe, my advice is to find a way to stand out. Can you do something related to your new career to put you on the map?
Lesley Hughes asks: In June I graduate with a 2nd honours degree. How do I increase my confidence of being able to do a specific job?
Lesley, there are NLP and similar tricks that can help confidence. What I recommend for career change generally is to find a way to do what you want NOW. Do a ‘play project’ in your spare time in the area.
Jane Shaw asks: How can I be more positive and feel happier? #makeithappen
Jane, there are definitely some practical things that work. Happiness/positivity is a habit we must build. Happiness practices are now quite well documented thanks in large part to Martin Seligman. Look up his work and Sonja Lyubomirsky’s book. One happiness practice is to write at the end of the day, 5 things that went well and why. Do it every day and it’s proven to make you happier
Hannah LaMontagne Dawe asked: What should you do when you know you want to change but can’t figure out what to do? #makeithappen
That’s very common Hannah as I found out in writing Screw Work Let’s Play! First thing is to start paying more attention to yourself. Notice what you enjoy and what you don’t from day to day. Think about work you’ve liked and work you haven’t. Study your own experience, the answers to your ideal work are always somewhere inside you but you haven’t acknowledged them or you’ve discounted them.
Livvi Lestrange asked : How do you tackle that unbearable loss of motivation to do ANYTHING at all? #makeithappen
Livvi, it’s possible you are depressed. We don’t always realise it when it happens! Alternatively you might have a very sever inner critic. If you find it difficult to start or finish anything, it may be perfectionism. And perfectionism is always driven by a severe inner critic. If you’re a perfectionist, play with allowing yourself to be a little less perfect from time to time. #makeithappen. Another perfectionist trick: give yourself a really short deadline; one day or one hour. And finish within that time.
Chris Gray asks: Decided to get a paid job so I can take my kids on holiday – how do you keep that belief that it will happen?
Chris – throw everything at getting a job you really want. Can be better to narrow focus rather than go for just anything -> more motivated.
Ema Borges asks: How can I remove the ‘I’m not good enough’ and ‘what if I fail’ thoughts? #makeithappen
Ema, try taking one step up at a time. Pick something that’s a stretch but doable. And remember there’s a risk to NOT taking risks!
Helena Reishin Holmes asks: Interested in many things, never found one I excel in. I’m 38, change career or go back to school? #makeithappen
Helena, It may be you’re a scanner! There are lots of us (you should come meet 50 people like you at Scanners Night!). Remember that breadth is an asset too. My scanner personality helps me write more interesting books. I know about lots of different things.
Jules Brewster asked: How do you stay positive when newly unemployed, applying for jobs but applications go into a black hole. #makeithappen
Jules, it’s hard I know! Find ways you can sidestep normal recruitment. Ask everyone you know to help you find something you’d love
@maija70 asked: I want to be able to start my new life now! How?? #makeithappen
@maija70 Think of something you’d love to do. Scale it down into something you can do in 30 days and begin it today.
@sophiegarner1 asks: I want to write a book about a subject that’s not really been covered. But have no skills for writing. Where to start?
@sophiegarner1 Is there another of covering this topic that works for you? Blog it? Teach it live? Videos?
@Ausminna asks: How do I find my own path rather than feeling just a witness or part player in the paths of friends around me?
@Ausminna Time to start tuning into yourself – ask every day when you get up & throughout day ‘What do I really want right now?’ Then see how close you can get to the thing you want.
@vanessawilkins asks: Any tips on how to focus on something (in my case writing) when you’ve had a bad day or aren’t feeling motivated?
Great Q Vanessa! Do get our free video series that talks all about this: bitly.com/30dcpsy but generally time limit yourself. Even if you feel drained & lousy, do 20 minutes of what you care about anyway. Use a timer. Stop when it goes off – or continue if you want
@iDrawAtWeddings asks: How do you sell a unique product if it’s so unique that no-one is looking for it?
Good question @iDrawAtWeddings! (Is it drawing at weddings?) Link what you do to something people already know they want. Eg a lot of people want their wedding to be special and different to others. You can help with that.
@ginandmilk asks: How can I figure out what my dream job is? Have read several books on the topic but can’t seem to get anywhere.
@ginandmilk you might be doing a bit of the old ‘Pinball thinking’, thinking of options then discounting them before you explore them. Dare to dream – before you get the get practical
@LaCara asks: How do I stay motivated to launch a business? #makeithappen
My advice on launching a business is to jump in to doing the bit you’re most excited about – the actual ‘doing’ of the work. Don’t build your website and make your biz cards, do the thing you want to do. Do it in your spare time if you have to. No need to quit job.
@Napf2 asks: How can you learn not to give up after the first days of unsuccessfully trying to change?
@Napf2 Depends what you’re trying to change. Do you really want it? Can you find a more fun way to get same result?
@Sunrise_Sartre asks: Having a “stiff upper lip” has got me through some hard times. But I think need to loosen the said lip but not sure how?
@Sunrise_Sartre Gently! Experiment with being a little softer. It is all in the body. Notice how you embody the stiff upper lip then you can experiment with something different – and only when it’s safe to do so.
@craftyjanes asks: Feel like I am missing out on fun and doing nice things cos day to day takes all my available time & energy its depressing
@craftyjanes I know what you mean Jane! You need to carve out the nice stuff time just like you do the ‘have to’ stuff – like a real date.
@rani_geet I would like to use my current skill set and maybe stay in my industry (kind of) but no longer want to do what I do.
@rani_geet The more you can do a sideways step and use the status/skills/experience of last job, the less drop is likely to be. In the end a salary drop might be worth it. Don’t sit it out too long if you’re no longer satisfied
For those who think they may be a scanner, check out www.scannersnight.com – my other website – explains all about it.
Finally, I want to say that it is really important to do the stuff you love. When you don’t, you shortchange not just yourself but your employer/clients and even the world. Start doing something you really care about and love to do. Make something happen this year! You can start right now, turn it into a 30 Day Play Project and make progress in as little as 20 minutes a day. See here: bitly.com/30dcpsy
It’s a cliche but life is short and no one knows when it’ll end. Don’t waste it! Make a start. It’s a gift to us all as well as yourself.
Sorry if I missed anyone’s question – you can tweet me as @johnsw after I hand back to Psychologies.
For those who want to change their work, my main website is www.screwworkletsplay.com with lots of stuff to help.
It’s been fun. Thanks for all the questions! And thanks to Psychologies for letting me hijack their account. @johnsw signing off.
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