How To Fix Career Problems? #1. My Career Problems

I read the message from somewhere:
 
“Life is too short.  Work somewhere you are continuously accepted, respected, encouraged, inspired, empowered, and valued.”   Impressive, but what you notice most is what you lack. There is a clear gap between where I am now and where I want to be.
 
I graduated from a reputable university, obtained a bachelor's degree, and worked in a multinational corporation.  Life seemed to be on track and stable.
That sounds great, right? I was not aware that it seemed like an average product (me) to attract the average customer (employer) at a fair price (salary).

Yet, when it came time for promotions, my name was always missing from the list.  Frustrated and perhaps seeking a bit of revenge, I leapt at a senior role in a smaller company, lured by a higher salary.  But as time passed, the road sloped downward because someone younger and cheaper was ready to take my place without a second thought.
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If you cannot climb to the top, the only direction left is down. Within a year, I was let go, and soon found myself bouncing from job to job, unable to regain my footing.
Very often, we tend to play the victim by blaming the nasty customer (our boss).  The persecutor is definitely the management and the dumb boss.
At that time, I was wondering:
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Why do I always have bad luck in jobs?
Why do I always encounter a string of bad bosses?
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My  bad bosses were like that:

• spread damaging rumors about me to the highest levels of management.
• hated me because I fired the person he liked and aroused his resentment against me.
• so selfish to get rid of me when I reported to her that my health might have a problem that required further attention

My Career Problem

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​The system has fingerprints.
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“We all make mistakes. We all do things that we then realize weren’t in our interest or useful to the community.
If we do it a second time, it’s worth taking a hard look at the system that set us up for failure. How did the system get here? Who benefits?
When we can see the system, we have a chance to fix it.” (Seth Godin)

What is the system that got me here?
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As a marketer, I see that being an average product (me) attracts average customers (employers) at average prices (salary).
Earlier in my career, I adapted to the routine of corporate life (comfort zone), maintaining average performance and receiving a decent salary.
Yet, this approach fell short for higher-level management roles. At 40, I found myself unable to live up to what leadership expected of me.
 
What did you expect for your career path at 40 years old?
By forty, with twenty years of experience and many challenges overcome, you expect a breakthrough. Yet, your boss demands faster results and greater excellence. To meet these high expectations, you must change your system.

Change the system
 
Change the average product to a great product.  What does a great product look like?
It can solve interesting problems and reflect the segment scarcity with distinctive value.
And then, whether the customer (your boss) is an intelligent person or an average person is irrelevant.  At the same time, you can tag a high price for yourself.
You guess what? The controller for the old system is your boss, and the price.
The controller for the new system is you.
Starting to own the choice and your control.  

How To Manage the Gap?
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“There's a space between where you are now and where you want to be, ought to be, are capable of being.
A gap between your reality and your possibility.
Imagine that space as a gulf or a chasm, and you'll become paralyzed, stuck in the current situation.
The magic of forward movement is seeing the space as leap-sized, as something that persistent, consistent effort can get you through.
The most likely paths are the ones where you can see the steps.” (Seth Godin)

​However, I am getting older year by year, and the opportunities are becoming fewer.
The challenge is getting an interesting job that can optimize my talent and deliver remarkable performance to secure my career status.
What if I fail again? I may not get another second chance.
What is my fuel for pushing me to move forward on my career path at my mid-age?
Can I control my career on my terms?

​Drawing inspiration from Seth Godin, I revisit the challenges that once stalled my career.   And then, I figure out the ways to fix my career problems.

Continue Reading (Coming Soon):
#2. What do you want from your career?
#3. Fix The Career Problems: Communication
#4.  Fix The Career Problems: Smart Focus
#5. Fix The Career Problems: Passion
#6. Fix The Career Problems: Matching
#7. Fix The Career Problems: Proficiency
#8. Fix The Career Problems: Cheat Sheet (One Page PDF)