I talk to people in various stages of life, and whether they're still in their careers or whether they're in business, they often struggle with how to love their work. It’s very important to me to help people find things that they actually enjoy doing and believe they can make a living doing. Loving what you do is kind of a big deal to me. I thought the perfect person to help people start figuring that stuff out would be Dr. Helen Ofosu.
Dr. Helen Ofosu’s background is in business psychology, officially known as industrial organizational psychology. She helps employers find the right people and makes sure they’re going to be able to deliver when they’re hired, not just say the right thing during an interview, but can actually deliver. She also offers support when it comes to issues related to diversity, inclusion and anti-racism. The other side of her business is working with individuals who want to enjoy their careers more, who aspire to become better leaders - leadership assessment and executive coaching.
The million dollar question
You feel stuck in life and know that you want more. You know something has to change. You are struggling with what it is that needs to happen to get you unstuck and moving in the right direction. So what has to happen? Where to start?
Helen explains that most people are good at getting jobs, just not the right ones. They may be earning good money but every day feels like a chore and is exhausting. Just because you are good at something does not mean it’s for you. You may be good at cutting grass but do you want to do that every day?
I am great at writing and used to get writing contracts all the time but I HATED the work. It was hard to say goodbye to that money but I couldn’t charge enough to make it sustainable without finding an agent and that’s not something that was going to make me happy. The other side of that is you might love writing but may not love what you are tasked to write. It’s all about figuring out what you want to be doing and not accidentally falling into it.
A fresh perspective
There are two relevant themes that come into play when trying to figure it all out and those are boundaries and mindset. Since Dr. Ofosu’s background is in psychology she has access to some pretty sophisticated psychometric tests. So, if someone comes to her and wants to be sure that the next move they make is suitable she will go through those assessments to give a fresh perspective on what other opportunities might exist for them. She digs deep and gets clear on values.
Where’s the disconnect?
Most of us are busy raising a family, running a household, running a business…the list goes on and on. So in the end, most of us are looking for that autopilot button, doing jobs that pay the bills but are not jobs we find interesting or fulfilling. Or from an entrepreneurs perspective, you’ve started your small business and now it’s five years or 10 years down the road and you haven’t changed how you do things. The things that served you well in the beginning may not serve you as well now. It’s easy to overlook that when you get into a routine of just doing the same thing all the time.
Imagine getting in your car and driving down the highway. Pedal to the metal and you are just cruising. Now that you are moving, you realize you need clearer instructions about where you are headed but you are driving too fast and will crash if you try to check while at these speeds. What do you do? You pull over for a moment, even though you feel like you might lose time and traction, you pull over and figure it all out and then you get back on the highway! It doesn’t have to be scary to have to pull over to get a handle on things. It helps to reach out and get guidance from someone who has your best interest at heart and they know what they are doing. That will save you time and money and get you back on the highway in no time!
Be careful of the ‘golden handcuffs’
Golden handcuffs is a term to describe when someone is in a job that earns them good money but that alone is what is keeping them in the position or doing what they are doing. It’s a trap thinking the money is enough to offset the rest of it. When you do this you end up grinding your spirit down in ways that are really very detrimental. It’s a snowball effect, when you are not able to be yourself, when you are not able to use the skills and abilities that you actually have it takes a big toll on your mental health and on your energy levels.
So, when someone decides they are going to try and break out of the golden handcuffs, when they start the task of trying to figure out what needs to change, is it as hard as they think it’s going to be? Usually not.
Most of the people that come to Dr. Ofosu have usually hit their breaking point and are on short term disability from burnout or depression and anxiety. They’ve had a chance to hit the pause button and come to the realization that they just can’t go back to doing what they were doing. We encourage you not to wait until the car crashes. If you feel tired or weary pull the car over and re-evaluate.
There has to be a willingness and an openness to re-evaluate. It’s easy to overlook the need to, especially if you’ve been in the wrong role for too long and you aren’t at your best.
What about those people out there that don’t hate what they do but wonder what they could be doing to make it better? The first thing they should ask themselves is what do you do that energizes you, that engages you but doesn’t drain you. Focus more of your attention on those things. If you can find ways to outsource or hire people to help you with the things that do drain you, that you're not good at that you don't like doing, that's a good start.
Lose the “it’s fine” attitude
When you assume the “it’s fine” attitude you are assuming that the status quo is all that’s possible. Even though it’s scary, it’s important to recognize that there may be other ways that are better and more sustainable.
We need to break the limiting beliefs that work is supposed to be hard, something to dread. On the other side of that coin we need to acknowledge that sometimes we love what we do so much that we would do it for free and that’s just as problematic because you’re not giving yourself any value. If you don’t charge enough you can’t keep doing it and the financial stress and pressure will take over.
Get clear on your values. Not only the things that excite you but the things that are meaningful to you. Ask yourself what could be better for me? What could be better for my family? Really give yourself the permission to imagine what’s possible instead of being stuck on what you’ve always done.
When you implement things in a way that honours who you really are and how you're structured, you're playing to your strengths. It's a safer bet.
Be sure to visit Dr. Ofosu’s website. Whether you're interested in career advice, entrepreneurship, leadership or diversity there's all kinds of resources for you there. You can also find her on Facebook at and LinkedIn.
Resources & Links
Resources mentioned by Dr. Helen Ofosu:
https://ioadvisory.com/pandemic-positives-silver-linings-hidden-opportunities/ (This shows some of the factors that may make people re-evaluate returning to work post-COVID-19)
https://ioadvisory.com/basics-psychometric-testing/ (A partial view of how psychometric testing can be used)
https://ioadvisory.com/dear-dr-helen-advice-ideal-career/ (Light-hearted, looks at aspects of career change)
https://ioadvisory.com/career-psychology-faster-different-from-therapy/ (Overview of how my services differ from the much more popular services offered by 'Clinical Psychologists')
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Podcast editing by Eric Wellman