By Ashley Stahl, Originally Published in Forbes
It’s easy to get so caught up in getting through the workday that you don’t even notice you’re a bit stuck in your career path. Maybe you’re no longer satisfied in your position, or you’re simply bored in your day-to-day. Whatever the case may be, it’s time to look to some experts for advice on how to move forward.
Scroll down to check out these fascinating TED Talks, all designed to help you break out of that career slump. Get incredibly inspired, get engaged, and give yourself the boost that you need to get un-stuck in your career.
1. “Your Elusive Creative Genius,” Elizabeth Gilbert
If creativity is what you’re striving for, look no further than Elizabeth Gilbert’s eye-opening TED talk. Her speech is a brilliant personal anecdote about her own fears of not being able to compete with her own creative work, the successful book Eat, Pray, Love. She also dives into how we can change our mindset about creativity to better support the creative process, and ruminates on the ways society’s expectations of creative souls.
2. “Turning Fear Into Fuel For Brilliance,” Jonathan Fields
Don’t let your fear hold you back from success. In this brilliant speech, Jonathan Fields guides you on how to turn your fear into fuel for action! Fear stems from three things: the questions we don’t ask ourselves, the things we don’t notice, and the things we don’t see. We tend to fuel our fear with questions like “what if I fail?” Fields challenges us to start asking, “What if I succeed?”
Jonathan Fields was recently on an episode of my podcast where he dives into the same concepts as in his TED speech.
3. “Try Something New For 30 Days,” Matt Cutts
If there’s something, anything, you’ve always wanted to do, now’s the time to do it… For at least 30 days. That’s Matt Cutt’s suggestion: try anything for 30 days, and you’ll be surprised at how you’ll be able to add or subtract habits from your life. Your time will be more memorable, and if you’re anything like Cutts, your self-confidence will skyrocket!
4. “Smash Fear, Learn Anything,” Tim Ferris
“What’s the worst that can happen?” According to Tim Ferris, this is the only question you need to be able to learn anything. If you can deconstruct the things that terrify you (Ferris tackled his fear of swimming in his 30s), you can truly do anything you set your mind to.
5. “Embrace The Near Win,” Sarah Lewis
When you feel stuck in your career, it can often stem from a feeling of not doing well enough. It’s hard to keep pushing forward when you’re not confident you’ll succeed. But Sarah Lewis argues that these almost-failures (or near wins) are what can push you forward. If you strive for mastery, you’ll always be reaching forward, trying again and again, even if you only get those near wins each time.
6. “Why Some Of Us Don’t Have One True Calling,” Emilie Wapnick
Not everyone has that one set passion or interest to carry them for the rest of their life… And that’s okay! Emilie Wapnick discusses “multipotentialities,” people who have the potential for a whole host of interests and jobs over the course of their careers. If you find yourself stuck in your career, it might be time to think about other interests and skills you might have.
7. “Why Work Doesn’t Happen At Work,” Jason Fried
Do you end up feeling burned out or unproductive at the office? Consider Jason Fried’s radical idea: work is the worst place to actually work. If you ask people what they need to get something done, they’ll often say one of three things: a location, a moving object, or a time. In the kitchen, on the train, in the morning… Very few people end up saying the office. In this eye-opening talk, Fried talks about why the office isn’t conducive to productivity, and offers a few simple solutions.
It can be frustrating feeling like you’re stuck in a rut, stagnant and stalled in your career. Hopefully these seven TED talks inspire you to try something new for a month, embrace your fear, tap into your creativity, or come to a realization about your own potential and passions. Whatever the kick you need, you’re sure to find it in one of these amazing talks.
For a FREE course to land a new job you love, launch your dream business, or find your purpose, visit https://ashleystahl.com/