Page 215 - Talane Miedaner - Coach Yourself to a New Career_ 7 Steps to Reinventing Your Professional Life (2010)

BONUS TIPS FOR CAREER SUCCESS 203

wouldn’t you know: she got what she wanted! As a general rule,
always ask for more than you think you deserve.
The reason for writing your wish down fifteen times a day is to
beat it into your brain until you actually start believing it is true.
Be aware that the first time you write the words, all those little
voices in your head will start chiding, “Who do you think you are
anyway to ask for that much money? You’ll never get this. Who
are you kidding? No one gets that much vacation time.” Keep on
writing and eventually you’ll get to the point where those little
voices will be saying, “Sure, you can get this. Piece of cake. What’s
the big deal?” That’s when you know you’ve made the necessary
mental shift from wanting to having. Get out your pen and start
putting the power of writing it down to work!

Creative Visualization

Creative visualization is a simple technique popularized by Shatki
Gawain in her book of the same title. Having positive thoughts is
an aid to achieving your goal, be it a new career, a dream job, or
success in any other venture. It helps to imagine what you want to
have happen, rather than what you don’t want to have happen. I
was coaching a bright, industrious twenty-something woman who
was working for the United Nations and was asked by her boss to
give a presentation to about a hundred
people from different countries. She
had never given a presentation before
Imagination is more
and was justifiably terrified. Most peo-
important than
ple are more afraid of public speaking
knowledge.
than they are of death—not rational,
but true nevertheless! As she prepared —ALBERT EINSTEIN
for her presentation, she kept imagining
all of the horrible scenarios that could
happen, such as blanking out, not being able to speak, and even
fainting on the platform. I told her that it would be much better if