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Want an easy, reliable way to ratchet up your potential for success in your career? Learn to shut off your autopilot and navigate with conscious awareness.
Most of us have a comfortable, habitual way of approaching things, a groove that we readily fall into. And when that groove is what is required in the situation, that’s great (for example, I tend to be an idea-generating dreamer, and when it’s time to explore the possibilities, that serves me well).
But that same groove can also be a big obstacle (dreaming isn’t so useful when it’s time to put my nose to the grindstone and create results by taking action).
An easy way to switch off your autopilot is to make a habit of asking “opposites questions.” Simply ask yourself, “Is what I’m doing what the moment calls for? Do I need to be this way, or that way right now? Does this situation call for this approach, or that approach?”
Here are several questions you can apply. It’s far from an exhaustive list, and I encourage you to come up with your own questions as well, but it’s a great place to get started.
- Do I need to plan and prepare, or do I need to take action?
- Do I need to work more, or do I need to play more?
- Do I need to connect with others, or do I need to take time for myself?
- Do I need to get realistic, or do I need to allow myself to dream?
- Do I need to listen to others more, or do I need to listen to myself?
- Do I need to “be,” or do I need to act?
- Do I need to stop and think, or do I need to stop and feel?
- Do I need to risk something new, or do I need to perfect what I’m doing?
- Do I need to focus, or do I need to explore?
- Do I need to do the mundane and gritty work that needs to be done, or do I need to lift my head up and expand my vision?
- Do I need to focus on maintaining what I have, or do I need to build something new?
- Do I need to learn new knowledge, or do I need to refine and perfect my current insights?
Asking opposites questions can be applied in a wide range of ways. You might make it a way to get clarity each morning on where your attention and effort needs to be that day. Or you could apply it to a big, long-term goal you are working towards to help you move towards it most effectively.
You can ask them if you’re feeling stuck, if you’re feeling overloaded, or if you’re feeling good but want to make sure your focus is where it needs to be. It can even be used to take a big picture look at your life to discover whether any of your grooves have become ruts.
Your career is going to happen, one way or the other. Unless you’re independently wealthy, you’re going to make a significant investment of time and effort in it. Asking opposites questions is a way to make the most of that investment.
The more consciously you navigate, the more potential you have to steer your career where you want it to go.
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