How to fail every time

There is one sure-fire way you will fail at everything. Don’t try anything. It’s much like Marlin’s realization in Finding Nemo that his intent to keep anything from happening to his son was keeping anything from happening to his son. It may feel safer only applying for jobs you’re assured of getting, but realistically, how often does that happen? Instead you pass up opportunities that would allow you the opportunity to learn and grow even if you don’t get the job.

Recently I handed my father a job. Here it is, already ready it’s his, and all he had to do was fill out the paperwork. You would have thought he would have lept at the chance. That he would have felt safe applying for a job that he was assured of getting but that wasn’t the case. My dad felt he wasn’t qualified since his expertise was in a similar field and not specifically what the job description was requesting.

He convinced himself that he was bound to fail and that it was just a matter of time before he’d be back on the job hunt. He didn’t want to face the inevitable rejection so he shelved the application and waited for the opportunity to pass him by. It didn’t because I know what he’s capable of so I had to get in his face and remind him of that.

He took the job, which turns out he’s more than qualified for and it has opened doors for him that he thought were only true in fairytales. Now, he’s a believer in stepping outside of his comfort zone in order to achieve his dreams.

Not everyone is so lucky. Odds are a hiring manager won’t get in your face and give you the pep talk you need to push yourself that extra step farther to try something that might seem a little out of your league. They will just move on to the next candidate and hope they have a better can-do attitude whether they have the experience you would have brought to the table or not. Bottom line you can’t get the job if you don’t apply and you won’t reach your goals if you don’t try.

So give yourself a pep talk and apply for something you’ve always wanted to do instead of just the things you’ve already done.

Check out csjobs.com for an extensive resource on job opportunities, career seeking solutions, and career advancement tips.

By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer, business owner, and work-from-home mom.