I stared at this computer screen for at least 20 minutes before I even came close to putting something on it. Then I checked my Facebook for 15 minutes and when I was finished with that, I stared at the blank screen some more. In fact, just the mentioning of Facebook has reinvigorated a desire for me to check it again (this time I was able to resist).

It’s funny how easily we can be distracted by simple thoughts when we’re afraid to continue with something or even begin something. It’s so much easier to tell ourselves that we’ll get to it eventually – and genuinely believe that we will – but we end up sweeping it under the rug.

Getting things done

Despite my inability to get things done without at least a little procrastination at some point during the project, my view on starting and finishing things fall in line with something Pablo Picasso once said: “Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.”

You may delay, but time will not.
Benjamin Franklin

In fact, I’m sure most of us feel this way. We all understand the importance of completing a task and we all understand that that task most likely won’t be completed unless we take the time to complete it.

Rarely do we come home to find an essay we’ve been putting off magically completed. Rarely do we go to work to discover that we have nothing to do because it’s already been done for us. Rarely does the great work get written without the writer.

Historically procrastination has been viewed as a negative thing, both theologically and societally. Though, at some points in history (particularly the aristocratically driven French culture of the 17th and 18th centuries) not doing things was considered the height of gentlemanly “pursuits.”

Excuses in All the Wrong Places

We procrastinators look for excuses for not doing things as often as we possibly can. These excuses range from the simplistic (i.e. “I can’t make all of these party invitations right now because I’m sick”) to the insane (i.e. “I can’t write this report that may cost me my job because I have to play with my cats all day”).

The simple fact of the matter is that whether the task is easy and unimportant or complex and very important, we usually have the time to do it or, at the very least, the ability to make the time to do it.

Stop psyching yourself out by convincing yourself that you can’t run because you don’t have the right kind of shoes or that you don’t have enough time in the day to work on that book you’ve always wanted to write. Chances are there’s a shoe store right down the street. Chances are that the reason you don’t have enough time in the day is because you spend a good chunk of it watching reruns of Friends or catching up on Game of Thrones.

So ask yourself what’s more important: What happened to Tyrion this week on my favorite show? Or…where could I be if I’d sit down to write that book?

You see, excuses are just that: excuses. It is defined as “to release from an obligation or duty.” Excuses were created to take the blame of not doing something or doing something wrong and removing it from ourselves.

We have more control over our lives than many of us like to believe and that is why we need to take the time to think and reason out how we can do things rather than stubbornly giving them up.

It’s about time we became a little more stubborn about persevering and a little less obstinate about opting out.

The post Thoughts on Procrastination first appeared on Coaching Specialty.

I love inspirational stories from people who have achieved great things by following their dreams no matter what. Imagine what a different world it would be if there was no Walt Disney, no Star Wars, no Beethoven symphonies. These have all been created by people who faced numerous rejections yet refused to listen to the negative people who said, “you can’t”. Or imagine if someone like Oprah had listened to the critics instead of her heart. The world would truly be missing out on some of it’s greatest creations and inspirational people.

Some of my favorite inspirational stories

Francis O’Dea – You’ve probably never heard of Francis O’Dea but if you live in Canada, you’re probably very familiar with the coffee house company, “Second Cup”.

Francis grew up in Toronto, was sexually abused at age 13 and around that time starting drinking. Life quickly went downhill and before long he was homeless. He had to beg for change in order to survive. For 6 months he lived on the streets with no clue as to what he wanted to do or how to change his life. Today, Francis O’Dea is a multi millionaire. As he says,

One year I was broke, the next year I was a millionaire.

He changed his life by focusing on what he wanted. He got a job and slowly started to turn his life around.

Four years later he opened a little coffee shop and called it “Second Cup”. Second Cup is now one of the largest coffee shop chains in Canada.

• Wayne Gretzky
  Wayne Gretzky has been quoted as saying, “It’s kind of ironic when I broke in at 17, I was told I was too small, too slow and I wouldn’t make the NHL.” He’s now recognized as one of the greatest hockey players ever.
• George Lucas
  George Lucas spent four years sending the script for Star Wars around to the various studios and racking up numerous rejections in the process. Universal Studios and United Artist both both turned him down. Finally an executive from 20th Century Fox who had seen his American Graffiti film and had been impressed by that decided to give him a chance with his Star Wars. The film was made for $11 million dollars and was released in 1977. Since then the original Star Wars trilogy has grossed over 2.4 billion dollars. If he’d let his negative inner voice get to him he would never have ended up having the highest grossing film of all time.
• Einstein
  Was considered an “unteachable” fool by his early teachers.
• Michael Jordan
  Was cut from his high school basketball team. Michael Jordan quote, “I’ve failed over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.”
• Bob Parsons
  Founder and CEO of GoDaddy.com. He had a blog posting one time where he spoke about what he overcame in the pursuit of his dreams. Unfortunately, he’s taken it down now but from reading that posting, I learned he definitely wasn’t an overnight success and experienced a lot of failure on the way. But, he kept his vision in his mind at all times and said, “I spent very little time looking back or feeling sorry for myself.” Another awesome quote from the blog posting was, “Quitting is easy. The easiest thing to do in the world is to quit and give up on your dreams (and quite frankly, that’s what all the non-risk takers want you to do).”It’s too bad he took his blog posting down. It was a good one. Anyway, instead, you can read his 16 Rules which has some pretty good advice for all of us.
• Beethoven
  Beethoven’s music teacher told him he was a hopeless composer.
• Colonel Sanders (creator of Kentucky Fried Chicken)
  Was told “No” by over a thousand restaurants for more than a year while he lived in his car trying to sell his chicken recipe.
• Thomas Edison
  I’m sure you’ve heard of Thomas Edison and all the inventions he created. He’s actually known as one of the most prolific inventors in history holding 1,093 U.S. patents as well as a lot of patents in the UK, France and Germany. When Thomas was 4 he was sent home from school with a note. The note told his mother that he was to remove his son from school because he was “too stupid to learn”. Thomas’ mother decided to teach him herself. He only had 3 months of formal schooling yet went on to create numerous inventions like the phonograph. He was also partially deaf in one ear. There is some controversy as to what he invented and what Nikola Tesla invented, (See more info at this link: Nikola Tesla) but he still managed to be successful even with the lack of support from the formal school system.
• Walt Disney
  Was turned down by over a hundred banks when he tried to get funding to develop Disneyland. He was also fired from his job at a newspaper for “lacking ideas”. He also had several bankruptcies before he was able to develop Disneyland.

Know Any More Inspirational Stories?

What are your favorite inspirational stories? If you have some or even one, send it to me via my contact form. I’d love to keep adding to the list.

The post People who made inspiring life changes first appeared on Coaching Specialty.

The key to making a big change is to make a small change first . This has to do with inertia. If you want to get unstuck quickly and effortlessly, leverage the power of making small changes.

We often get stuck in the idea of having to make some huge change in our lives, and it seems overwhelming so we don’t do anything. We just wish, wait and hope. Or we may just be stuck in a very comfortable routine. The trick is to realize that the force of inertia (the tendency of bodies at rest to stay at rest) will keep you exactly where you are unless you do something. That something doesn’t even have to be related to what you want.

You’ve probably heard of taking a big goal and chunking it down into baby steps. This is a great idea, but sometimes we don’t even know where to begin, what baby step to take. What you may not realize is that any small change leads to more change. Just do something different.

1. Wear red socks instead of navy socks.
2. Take a different route to work.
3. Eat at a different restaurant.
4. Drink tea instead of coffee.

Any change will do. This works because it gets you unstuck and into the change mode. The momentum will get you going on a roll, and before you know it, you’ll be making bigger and bigger changes relatively effortlessly. This technique enables you to skip the hard part of mustering up enough motivation, willpower, or courage to tackle a big goal, project or change.

For more, read Talane’s Top Ten Tips for Getting Unstuck and Get Motivated.

I’ve included this absolutely beautiful and inspiring short video about the impact of adding wolves to Yellowstone National Park, demonstrating the powerful impact of small changes.

The post The incredible power of small changes first appeared on Coaching Specialty.

While your workouts always leave you feeling refreshed, the muscle soreness afterward can also leave you feeling like a Robaxacet puppet – especially if you’ve just increased the intensity, frequency, or duration of your workout. For times like these, it’s always helpful to have muscle recovery strategies at your disposal.

Below are 10 natural ways to aid muscle recovery and ease muscle tension:

1. Hydrate

Okay, this one seems obvious, but many of us have a nasty habit of waiting until we feel thirsty to drink water – and if you’re not hydrated properly, your muscles will become stiff and prone to injury. I used to carry a giant bottle of water to work with me, but I found it to be really intimidating, so now I focus on drinking a glass of water every hour (with a hardcore replenish after each workout).

2. Lemon towel

Lemons are a natural anti-inflammatory (and smell amazing too). Mix two tablespoons of honey with the juice from three lemons and microwave for 30 seconds (an acceptable use for a microwave!). Dip a towel into the mixture and apply to sore areas to help your muscle recovery along.

3. Epsom salts

Epsom salts are made of magnesium sulfate: Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant, and as a salt they help reduce tissue swelling. Dissolve one or two cups of Epsom salts into warm bath water and soak for 15 minutes or until the water has cooled.

4. Ginger supplements

According to researchers at Georgia College and State University, ginger may help reduce muscle soreness: A change was noticed within 11 days of using two grams of ground ginger daily.

5. Drink tart cherry juice

Studies suggest tart cherries may be more effective than aspirin at relieving pain and reducing inflammation, thanks to the antioxidant anthocyanins, which can help minimize swelling in sore muscles. Drink about an ounce of cherry concentrate right before your workout – or, if cherries aren’t your thang, enjoy other foods that are rich in antioxidants like quinoa, kale and blueberries.

6. Heat therapy

Heat therapy increases the flow of oxygen and nutrients to sore muscles while suppressing the pain signals being sent to your brain. Apply some form of heat – hot water bottle, heating pad, or a hot towel – to sore areas.

7. Cool with ice

With pain comes inflammation – and ice is the best natural remedy. It also acts as an anesthetic, essentially numbing the effected area and giving you a muscle recovery breather.

8. Stretch

Here’s the thing about muscle pain: It limits your movement, which ironically makes the pain even worse. (Oy to the vey.) Make sure to get your stretch on as often as possible – especially after sitting for extended periods of time or before an intense workout. Once you’ve incorporated more stretching into your day, muscle recovery will be a snap.

9. Exercise

You know how they say the best thing you can do to cure a hangover is to drink what caused the hangover? A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning found the same is true for exercise: They compared the effects of massage or exercise to relieve muscle soreness, and found exercise to be just as effective.

10. Rest up

Especially after trying an intense workout you’re not used to, it’s best not to overdo it: If you sense an injury coming on, rest up before taking the plunge again. Listen to your body, and it’ll take care of the rest (no pun intended).

The post 10 alternative ways to recover post-workout first appeared on Coaching Specialty.

Are you being negatively impacted by the consequences of someone else’s behavior? Few things are more frustrating than seeing someone you love suffering, spinning out of control, and unable or unwilling to get help. What to do?

On today’s episode of the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast I’ll teach you how to avoid the biggest mistake you can make in this situation, and the surprising way to not just help– but get your inner peace back.

Are you really worried about someone in your life?

We’ll talk about what it really means to “help” someone versus accidentally enable them to persist in their problems.You’ll learn about how to avoid damaging your relationship with your loved one, and how to avoid the power struggle of co-dependency.

By shifting your definition of what it means to help, you’ll learn how to regain control of the situation. Getting clear about your boundaries, your values, and the one thing you really have power over (you) you’ll start helping your loved one develop the authentic, inner motivation they need to make lasting change.

The road to recovery is hard, but when you learn how to stop controlling, stop being upset, and start giving people the kind of help they really need you can change from being an accidental obstacle to recovery, to a catalyst for their growth.

Lastly, I’ll be giving you some practical steps for how to help yourself during your loved one’s change process. You’ll learn how to maintain your boundaries, regain feelings of control, and get the support you need to stay committed to being a true agent of change.

The post How to get someone else to change first appeared on Coaching Specialty.

Most articles that offer dating tips will tell you what you did wrong on a date by recounting the deadly mistakes that are keeping you single: “Don’t be too fat, but don’t be too skinny.” “Don’t talk about your job, but do talk about your career goals.” “Be interesting … no, be interested. No, act cool.” Enough of that already!

The real reason you don’t have the love that you deserve isn’t how you acted on a date. It isn’t because you said the wrong thing or that you smiled at the waiter. It isn’t because you texted the guy after the date to thank him.

Here’s the hard truth: you picked someone who would leave you before you even went out on that date. Before you even spoke to this man, your mate selection mechanism was set on heartache. But the good news is, you can change your “Love Picker” and turn on your “Love Switch.”

Why do we pick the wrong people? There is a subconscious part of us that draws us to particular people who trigger a familiar feeling. We think it’s chemistry when the fireworks go off, but what’s actually happening is that your inner drama queen is having a field day. You’re bored with the nice guys and crave attention from the man who acts disinterested. Most people think they will never have chemistry with someone “nice” and that could very well be true. If you don’t change your mate selection mechanism, you will subconsciously choose the same heartache every time. You will ignore the obvious red flags, believing, that “this relationship” will be different … but nothing changes.

The key to finding true love is to discover the mechanism in your subconscious (we call it your inner Adam or Eve), which fits like a puzzle piece with potential partners. You don’t have to change how you act, your clothes, your weight, or your personality; you just need to shift your piece of the puzzle. When your puzzle piece shifts, you will see that the men or women you meet will start to change as well. You can have conscious chemistry with someone who wants commitment and love just like you. You will feel the fireworks, but it won’t be followed by a night of Ben & Jerry’s on the couch (unless you and your partner enjoy sweet treats together).

There are a few ways to change your “Love Picker.” In fact, your subconscious mind is always giving you clues on how to change it. It keeps bringing you heartache so that you can finally make an adjustment.

You may not have known that you can change it before today, but here is how:

1. Break bad patterns

Look for common themes in your relationships and figure out where the patterns have their roots. Try to identify the underlying fear you likely have of actually getting close to someone. Face the fear so you can break the bad pattern

2. Pay attention to your dreams

Your dreams are a treasury of insight and information to guide you on your journey to a fulfilling relationship. They speak to you in symbolic language so you need to journal about them and follow your inner guidance.

3. Create an inner dialogue

Work with your subconscious mind by visualizing and facing the part of you that acts as the picker. Ask yourself questions and trust the answers that come to you.

4. Get a guide

Hire a coach that specializes in subconscious work. This is the fastest way to get yourself aligned with love.

Once you shift your subconscious even slightly, you will see a huge difference in who you’re attracted to and who is attracted to you. You may even notice that more opportunities will show up to meet nice guys, and that friends will come out of nowhere to introduce you to someone worthy.

The bottom line is that you don’t have to worry about saying the right things or playing the dating game. Your picker, if well-tuned, will always give you the love match you most desire. Isn’t that much easier than wondering if you should wait three days to call him?

The post Why keep falling in love with the wrong person first appeared on Coaching Specialty.

Is Your Relationship Making You Crazy?

You don’t have to be a marriage counselor to know that love is mysterious. And by mysterious I mean frustrating, joyful, heartbreaking, and breathtakingly, soul-stealingly gorgeous — all at the same time. Love breaks your door down and romantically sweeps you up, whether you want it or not. Love can prod you into fury, into agony, and into elation — sometimes all in the same day. When you’re in love you feel like you’re living in a perfect dream.

And then it can steal away as mysteriously as it came. You come home one day from grocery shopping to find that the passion’s paled into a wisp; Your once enchanting lover is now ignoring you in favor of obsessively scrolling through twitter, leaving fingernail clippings on the coffee table, and responding in distracted grunts.

What the heck happens to us? Why are we attracted to opposites, until they make us crazy? Why do we obsess over our beloved? Why does romantic love fade even as our attachment gets stronger? Why can anti-depressants totally change your relationship? What can we possibly do to keep love from withering in the boredom and banality of life?

Most marriage counselors and relationship coaches didn’t know the answer either, until Dr. Helen Fisher came along to flip the lights on and illuminate the mysterious nature of love.

Understanding Romantic Love

Through decades of research as a biological anthropologist, Dr. Fisher has uncovered the ancient secrets of love. (As in, monkey-brain ancient). Her groundbreaking work has revealed just how old, powerful, and biologically-based romantic love is through brain-image scanning.

For example, the drive for love lives in the same part of your brain as the drive for water and warmth. You know how, when you’ve been in love, it’s totally consumed you? You’re not imagining it: She’s shown that your brain is actually wired that way. Why do you feel like you’re going crazy when you break up, or when your attachment is threatened? Because romantic love has a lot in common with drug addiction.

There’s more: Through her work with Match.com and Chemistry.com Dr. Fisher has collected data from literally millions of people, and shown how your biologically based personality style determines your ideal lover. She has also helped us understand the biological basis of sex and love addiction, and the mechanisms at work in love, lust, and attachment. Her research pioneered new insights around how to de-mystify the love experience, and how to intentionally keep it alive for the long haul.

She’s given TED talks, written books, published articles in peer-reviewed journals: And now she’s here talking to you, on the Love, Happiness and Success Podcast.

The post Finally understand your relationship first appeared on Coaching Specialty.

As anyone who has been in a job search for a while knows, being invited to a job interview is not something easily achieved. Becoming one of the few “job candidates” rather than being part of the usually gigantic crowd of “job applicants” is a major victory.

Unfortunately, too many job candidates blow their interview opportunities, wasting all that time and effort. Don’t be one of those candidates. Never assume that the job offer is “in the bag” simply because you were invited for an interview!

Avoid these common mistakes to land that job

What you do during a job interview is viewed as a “sample” of your work. Everything you do is being judged because they don’t know you (unless you are one of the lucky referred candidates).

Show them you would be a great hire. Don’t make these mistakes:

Mistake #1: Appearing uninterested.

This drives employers crazy. Most employers have more applicants than they need or want.

If you aren’t demonstrably interested in them, they certainly aren’t interested in hiring you.

Instead: Demonstrate your interest in the company and the job. Show up on time, appropriately dressed. Turn off your cell phone.

Mistake #2: Being unprepared.

Obvious lack of preparation is an opportunity crusher. And, lack of preparation usually becomes obvious quickly.

Instead: Be prepared! Preparation will help you demonstrate your interest in them and the job. You will also perform better in the interview when you are prepared.

Mistake #3: Being angry.

Angry people are NOT people employers want to hire. Angry people are not fun to work with. They may frighten co-workers and/or customers or clients. They may also abuse both people and equipment (computers, cars, etc.). Not good contributors to a happy workplace or a prosperous business, even if they don’t “go postal.”

Instead: If you are angry over a job loss, horrible commute to the interview, earlier fight with your kids or spouse, or anything else, dump the anger before the interview, at least temporarily.

The post Avoid these mistakes at your next job interview first appeared on Coaching Specialty.

Let’s face it, a lot of the career advice out there is generic, false or otherwise unhelpful. Early on in school, we’re told to pick something we’re ‘passionate about’ or ‘good at’ – but how can an 18-year-old or even a 25-year-old have any clue if things they seem to like are going to fit into a good career?

The truth is that they don’t, and the result is that there are tons of people out there who actively dislike their jobs. This problem is particularly acute for lawyers because a legal education can put people on a specific, predefined path. Hence the legal industry has become somewhat notorious for dissatisfaction.

Don’t fully believe us? Consider the following:

• A study by Johns Hopkins found that of 100 occupations studied, lawyers were the most likely to suffer depression – 3.6 times more likely than the surveyed average.
• Seven in ten lawyers responding to a lawyer’s magazine poll said they would change careers if the opportunity arose.
• An ABA Young Lawyers Division survey indicated that 41 per cent of female attorneys were unhappy with their jobs.

This data may be based on the US, but things are no better in Australia, and there is little reason to believe that these trends will change. In light of these statistics, the premise of this article takes on an even brighter shade of significance.

Finding a place where you feel good (or at least not terrible) within the law or outside of it is imperative if you want to live a happy life.

Meaghan Lewis, a recent guest on the Beyond Billables Podcast is all too aware of this. But Meaghan’s story has less to do with unhappiness-forced change and more to do with initiative, bravery and staying true to herself – things that ultimately led to her finding the right spot.

Meaghan started off as a solicitor practising in New Zealand, but she moved to London, changed jurisdictions and learned a lot about herself in the process. She returned to Australia and continued her trajectory as a senior associate with Corrs Chambers Westgarth. But her perspective and needs had changed, she was no longer motivated by the excitement of the deal or the grueling pace of corporate law. She needed a change, so she quit without something else lined up.

By taking a leap of faith and listening carefully to her intuition, Meaghan landed a role as general counsel with The Law Society of NSW. She now works a 3-day work week and has seen a significant change in the qualitative and quantitative measures of her work. For Meaghan, finding the right place wasn’t drastic, it was going with the flow when it was right but not getting boxed in and never losing sight of what was important.

This is one example that can be emulated, but what else can you do if you’re feeling lost or stuck in your career?

Hone in on your best qualities.

Leading with your strengths is a great way to not only succeed but feel more fulfilled in your professional life. Start with a piece of paper and simply list out the areas where you feel you excel the most. If you need a mental jog, try reading StrengthsFinder 2.0, it’s excellent. There is, of course, the famous Myer-Briggs personality test, which can provide some insight as well. The bottom line is to figure out what you’re good at and how that correlates with your values. Having this information in your back pocket will prove a useful navigational tool.

Define what it is you’re after.

A huge issue for lawyers is that they put in incredibly long hours in high-stress environments and often find themselves asking for what. Salary alone is not a great motivator, if it were lawyers would not suffer from demotivation the way they do. So, define what you’re after. Your issue may be not that you don’t want to be a lawyer but that you want more time for yourself. Some people want freedom, some want prestige, some want to help others, some want more challenge – find that thing that you crave and incorporate it into your life.

Review your past.

As cliche as it may sound, one of the best ways to have a more successful future is to learn from the past. Hit yourself with a battery of questions like: What was the best/worst thing about past jobs? What was the best/worst thing about past cultures you worked in? What was the best/worst thing about past managers? What made me the happiest and proudest at work? What do I regret the most? What kind of people do I get along with best? Going through a reflective process like this allows you to clarify the environments and characteristics of a job that mean the most to you (and the ones that drive you crazy). Sussing this out is one of the first and most important steps towards finding your place.

Mix it up.

Sometimes, finding your sweet spot can be a bit of luck as much as it is careful planning. In this sense, the search for this type of thing can be like throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks. We encourage people to get creative, change roles, professions and industries until something clicks. This can obviously cause turmoil, so it must be approached within the confines of your financial responsibilities and risk tolerance. But if your happiness and fulfilment are at stake, isn’t it worth it?

We all want to have lucrative, respected careers that make us grow as people and fulfil us emotionally. Some people get lucky, but far more are left searching. The good news is that, with the right approach and enough diligence, it’s possible to find a sweet spot. Be like Meaghan, find your 3-day workweek and don’t settle until you do.

The post Finding your place in the professional world first appeared on Coaching Specialty.

Every professional has been guilty of making a mistake. Small mishaps are easier to overlook, such as a typo in a document or a formatting error in a spreadsheet. Other mistakes are harder to fix, such as accidentally sharing confidential information with the wrong client or realizing you did the math on your department’s yearly budget incorrectly and it’s already in use.

Whether the mistake is large or small, the important thing is to focus on how you can recover from it. Keep in mind that, no matter the situation, your reaction to the error will play a large part in how effectively you survive the mishap. The following steps can help you to be proactive and get ahead of your mistake.

Step back and assess the situation.

This is the first step you must take when you realize you’ve made an error. This is an important step because it will help you clearly determine what you will need to do moving forward. Immediately taking a breath and a step back and assessing what happened will help you look at the situation objectively to avoid overreacting.

Take a few moments and ask yourself: How bad was your mistake? How many people will be affected by it? Can you just apologize and move on or are there very serious consequences? If you are having trouble analyzing the situation without getting emotional, ask a close friend or family member to help you (without revealing any confidential information, of course).

Processing your emotions with them first can help you become objective about the situation more quickly. And, they may even give you some great advice. The key is to not have a knee-jerk reaction. Step out of your office or take a walk outside for a moment if you need to, in order to clear your head first.

Take responsibility.

Once you have assessed the situation and determined what the next steps are to rectify it, own up to the mistake. If you determined that all that is needed is an apology, make sure it happens as soon as possible, with the right people. If you made a simple mistake, the situation may only require you to notify your team. If it was a more serious error, in most cases you will also need to inform your boss.

When speaking with them, don’t beat around the bush. Get right to it. No matter what the circumstances, when taking responsibility for your mistake it is important to be clear about what happened and avoid trying to minimize your error. It will be easier to correct the mistake if you provide accurate information from the start and offer possible solutions. Admitting to your boss, team or client that you made a serious mishap can seem scary, but they will appreciate your honesty in the long run and it will preserve your professional relationship and brand, even if their first reaction isn’t a positive one. When you offer a solution, you offer a sense of comfort that you can handle rectifying the situation.

Prepare for damage control.

This is another important step to take, and the quicker you can start damage control, the better. Are you able to fix the situation on your own? If it was just a typo, it may be as simple as sending a new copy asking the recipient to disregard the previous version of the document.

Has this mistake happened to someone else on your team before? They may be able to share helpful steps you can take to remedy the situation. If you have made a serious mishap, you will most likely need to decide on a plan of action with your boss.

If the mistake is so serious that your job could be on the line, don’t go into the meeting already assuming you will be fired. Do your best to come up with a solution (or several) before you walk into your boss’s office and decide on action steps you will take in the future to prevent the mistake from happening again.

Manage the issue.

Again, it’s important to be proactive, especially if you have made a serious error. Develop a three-month and six-month plan of action to prevent any additional backlash from your error. If the mistake was large enough that you have been put on probation, don’t passively wait for the time to pass. Use the opportunity to not just learn from your mistake but also build your resilience muscle.

Keep track of everything you do to improve the situation, and check in with your boss or team frequently to let them know what steps you are taking. This will help build trust and confidence in your abilities moving forward. Maintaining your confidence after your error, and taking responsibility for it, will help demonstrate you are resilient in difficult situations.

Don’t let your mistakes define you. Famed former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden said, “If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything.” So don’t let making a mistake discourage you and paralyze you on your career path.

It’s important to focus on the future and identify what lessons can be learned from the situation. Determine how the mistake can help you – perhaps you need to be more cautious or detail-oriented moving forward. No matter what the mistake, remember to take what you can learn from the situation and keep moving forward.

The post How to survive a career mishap first appeared on Coaching Specialty.