10 Myths Debunked and your Negative Beliefs

Many beliefs can limit yourself in pursuing your career or lead you down a career path that is not a good match for you.  It is important to know yourself and the type of career you are considering and the requirements you need to be successful in the career.  You could get headed in the wrong direction for years if you hold onto some of these beliefs that do not match up with your personal characteristics, interests and dream.

10 Myths about choosing a career debunked

1.  All people who are good at music make successful musicians.

The problem with this kind of statement is that it leaves out many details it takes to be a musician.  There are skills needed to be successful.  As well as knowing how to play music, there is a commitment to practice or interpersonal skills to help promote the music and financial components for budgeting.

2.  All people who learn differently (LD) should go to vocational training programs

People who learn differently and have a strong support system, have gone on to have great careers as in business, science and entertainment industry. There is a learned gift developed by having to navigate life when you have a learning difference. It is the tenacity to work through problems, rebound from failure and celebrate the smaller step successes as they learn patience.   If the passion and desire to work toward the career goal is there, you can reach it.

3. All people with ADHD are creative and should own businesses.

While creativity is a hallmark trait used to describe people with ADHD, it doesn’t mean they have the operation skills to own a business.  The skills it takes to own a business include time management, long-range thinking, financial discipline, interpersonal skills and more.  It takes a lot of hard work and knowing when to pull in help through resources to run a successful business.

4. All people with good grades become top professionals

People that inherently get good grades and don’t have to work hard in school may not have developed adequate coping skills needed to deal with the stress and obstacles. It can hinder themselves in striving for high professional success levels.

5. All people who are good with people should go into sales.

Excellent interpersonal skills are needed in the sales industry as well as a tough as nail attitude for rejection and failure.  If you are sensitive to rejection and struggle to motivate after a letdown, then sales can be a challenging field for you.

6.  All people who make career changes later in life are discriminated against.

People may fear what others may perceive with a late in life career change, but could they be curious and even envious?  YOU can be the trailblazer to model how it can be done for others.  Your perception may be at play in a situation like this.

7.  All people with good educational backgrounds do well in careers.

Education is just a piece of the puzzle that makes up what it takes to do well in a given career.   Education is another way to get an edge on your career, but the other factors are equally important.

8.  All people with special challenges can expect to achieve less in their lifetimes.

This is a great myth to bust as we can go through the list of people with challenges that have contributed enormously to our society.  Hellen Keller, Walt Disney, Albert Einstein, Keanue Reeves, just to name a few.

9.  All people who made career choice mistakes should start over

This is the time to pull together the lessons learned and see how it may apply to something within their career choice.  Within a career field, there are many options.  For example, If your dream was to be an actor because you love the creative aspect of films but found that you do not like the stress of memorizing lines,  look at closely related field within the film industry such as production management or scene development or  coaching.

10.  All people have one true career destiny.

It is unusual to find someone who has stayed within one career their whole life these days.  People have many options to work from home and this has opened up options for people to investigate free-lance fields that bring a variety of work options and paths to consider.  As we go through life, your needs and interests change.  Our society is accepting of new ways to employ people and judge their performance wherever they are based.  This lends itself to allowing people the freedom to pursue dreams that may not have been thought possible in the past.

Go for your potential in life!

by debunking these 10 Myths about choosing a career

There are many opinions out there for every statement made regarding a career path one might choose.  Do not limit your potential in life by believing everything at face value.  Look at the counter-argument like I did in the above scenarios. This type of critical response is a process to get in touch with your true inner beliefs.

If you have an interest and desire for a career path and see a personal limitation that would keep you from being successful, I encourage to go through the exercises of debunking the thought with an alternative view.  This could be the first step in gaining the courage to face a challenge with the attitude of how can I navigate in this career field WITH my limitation?  Is this an area I can work on to improve or do I need to find a modification or accommodation to be successful.  Turn to techniques that bringer you closer to realizing the dream career such visualization or enlisting someone that can help you develop strategies in your weaknesses.

Your determination and consistent pursuit of the career can happen.

One of the earliest documented stories that I am aware of dates back to the 1960s.  This was a period where people with disabilities where looked upon as defects and often hidden from the public by families out of shame and fear. Christy Brown, artist and author,     fought every day for something and struggled with his inner critic to motivate and persevere. He began his passion for painting and writing to escape his burden of daily living and earned enough from his work to earn a living.

His first published book was translated into 5 languages writing it on a typewriter using only his left toes. In the first chapter of the book, My Left Foot, Brown describes how he could not be truly happy in life if he viewed himself simply as a cripple.  He wanted more and created ways to make his dreams into realities despite not have arms not being able to walk.

He shattered these 10 Myths about choosing a career!

He says in a 1962 interview that it was when he was able to accept himself for who he was combined with the immense support of his family, that he was able to succeed in life.  He offers advice to other people with disabilities that, with the right support, you can overcome any challenge.  As he says, we all have challenges.  Perhaps it is simply a mindset that sets apart this remarkable early example of overcoming tremendous difficulties to reach a fulfilling career and life.

Christy Brown’s accomplishment included artists, internationally best selling author and poet.  This example of overcoming odds, fear, having courage and face stigmas and myth of people with disabilities in Dublin, Ireland, is quite remarkable at a time when people commonly institutionalized anyone with mental or physical disabilities. His life story may have set a precedent in other countries to shift their limiting beliefs of the capacity of people with disabilities as a collective force.  He is one of the first inspirations for any suffering with any type of challenge.

10 Myths about choosing a career debunked!

If you have anything to share please feel free to reach out to me at www.razcoaching.com  or www. coachingacademics.com. michelle@razcoaching.com Or follow my www.Instagram.com/razcoaching. I do daily mini blogs with tips of inspiration. I post almost every day.  There’s something in there for you that can help you with your focus for the day.