#130 Is a dream job possible, even when you close the door on a dream job?
Release Date: 09/19/2024
Another Door Stories
"We tell stories in times of transition because in good times, bad times, lateral movements, figurative movements, we need to make sense of the world. Stories help us help us process. This is what makes us human." Can six words help you process change, and tell your life story? On the podcast Larry Smith shares how a simple Twitter experiment 15 years ago turned into a global storytelling movement - the Six Word Memoir project. Our conversation is not just word count. Larry shares his closing door life moments, from divorce, to relocation, to career change....
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"For me opening the door was the same door that had shut in my face previously. But going back there and thinking, well, what am I able to do? …I tried many things, but I realised it's music. So I sat down with a blank piece of paper and thought, I've got to make my way again." Imagine being at the height of music stardom in the 90s, performing on Top of the Pops, being helicoptered between gigs, and having fans waiting outside your house. Then suddenly, there is silence. In this episode Lee Murray shares what happens when the music stops. Lee was the drummer in the band Let Loose, which...
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"It's okay when you fundamentally change your perspective, and it makes different anchors in your life to what you had up to a certain moment of a door closing. I think the door closing on me was about not wanting to be an employed person anymore and wrestling with it.” Ever felt the whisper of your dreams urging you to make a change but hesitated because of the safety net of a steady job? In this insightful episode, I sit down with Dr. Claire Handby as she shares her transition from a 25-year corporate career to embracing entrepreneurship. Of course, there is a lot to be said...
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"My big door closing moment was when I was made redundant in the pandemic with 2 small children who were 1 and 3, and thought I would never get a good job again.” Turing adversity into opportunity. In today's episode I’m talking to Elizabeth Willetts, founder of Investing in Women. Elizabeth’s company grows from strength to strength, if you follow her on socials she is smashing it. But that wasn’t always the case - and, like many success stories, starts when a door is slammed shut. Like many of us, Elizabeth found herself redundant during Covid in 2020 and decided it was a moment...
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In this special solo episode, it's just you and me pondering the intricacies of navigating change. The past few years I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs, and so in this chat I'm sharing my reflections on pausing, embracing messiness, playing with ideas, and the power of trying. We'll also explore the concept of restarting with a fresh perspective, anchored in self-care and gentle intention. Join me as I explore these themes, offering insights and tools to help you face uncertainty and thrive through change. This framework is part of my upcoming book, all about how to navigate...
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"I have learned so much over this process of what matters and what doesn't, how to protect yourself, what boundaries to put in place, whether you're giving up alcohol, a person, or an eating disorder." In this episode, I talk to Hannah Harvey who shares her story about closing a door on alcohol, which also led to her leaving her marriage. Hannah opened up about her liberating journey to sobriety, revealing how quitting alcohol transformed her life and led her to write "How to Divorce Sober." We talk about overcoming societal pressures, personal growth, and finding clarity through...
info_outline"I just started to ask myself, as many people do ‘Do I want to do this for another 20 years? Is there something else?’. I got curious, maybe there are some other doors I want to look through and maybe it's time to shut this door and find out."
Does a dream job really exist? We’re joined by the seasoned journalist and career coach Rachel Schofield to talk about ‘dream jobs’. We explore the themes of unearthing core passions, overcoming imposter syndrome, and finding stability amidst the chaos of change. And what if you have, on paper, a dream job, but have a feeling there might be something else you want to do?
Rachel shares her own story from a 20-year career at the BBC to creating a new career in coaching and training, offering insights and practical advice for anyone starting a new career chapter. Listen to rediscover joy in your work and the permission to experiment and try new things.
“Maybe I'll go up to that tree house and see what's behind that door. Just go and take tiny little steps of experimentation. In career terms that might mean, I've often thought I'd like to do X. So let me go and talk to someone who does it. I've often thought it would be fun to be a graphic designer. So between now and Christmas, I'm going to do a weekly evening class at my local further education college. I don't have to be ready to upend my whole world. I'm just going to go and play.”
Here are the highlights:
04:15 Doubts arose about a lifelong TV news presenting career.
07:23 Career transitions evoke mixed emotions and considerations.
12:00 Transitioned from news to coaching; misses presenting.
18:56 Repurpose experience; embrace new directions confidently.
20:54 Juggling journalism, coaching and presentation training.
25:32 Embrace challenges; expertise grows through experience.
31:38 Coffee chat led to a book opportunity.
34:07 Social media fosters envy; practice graciousness instead.
36:45 Being last doesn't necessarily mean you failed.
Rachel Schofield’s Another Door go-tos
The things that helped Rachel navigate change.
Book: ‘Big Magic’ by Elizabeth Gilbert.
Music: ‘Closer to Fine’ by the Indigo Girls.
The one piece of advice:
"When you're thinking about particularly a career shift...really lean into experimentation. So rather than thinking you need to sit there and figure it all out...just think maybe I'll just knock on that blue door over there. Maybe I'll just look in that little tiny door that looks like a fairy door at the bottom of the tree."
About Rachel Schofield
Rachel Schofield is a career coach, author, facilitator and speaker. Before making her very own career pivot, Rachel reported and presented for the BBC for over twenty years. Her book "The Career Change Guide: Five Steps to Finding Your Dream Job" was published by Penguin in 2023. She works with private clients and also corporate workshops and coaching groups within women's leadership programmes for the brilliant DEI consultancy, Shape Talent.
Find out more: https://rachelschofield.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reworkyourlife/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelschofield/
About your host Eleanor Tweddell
Eleanor supports individuals, teams and organisations through change. Whether it’s 121 coaching or large scale organisational change through communications and training. Eleanor’s work centres around how we, as humans, work through change, embracing the messy bits, the role of playing, with the aim to see opportunity. “Too often we get stuck in the change happening to us, when just through that next door is an exciting next chapter.”
Eleanor is the founder of Another Door, and Get-Recommended.com and the author of Why losing your job could be the best thing that ever happened to you.
Instagram:instagram/anotherdooruk
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-tweddell/
Website: eleanortweddell.com
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