It’s 84 plus degrees out. The sun is beating on your back. A bead of sweat begins accumulating over your upper lip and forehead. These were my very conditions yesterday as my daughter and I stared into the distance at the never ending dusty rows of the strawberry patch that lie ahead. It would have been easier to just turn around... retreat and come back to do this activity in more favorable conditions. But what would I be teaching Talya if I decided to give up because the task at hand would be challenging? It was at this very moment I realized that there are many lessons to be learned from picking strawberries. These lessons can be applied to life in general, but in a job search or career change in particular!
Lesson 1: Be persistent in your search.
You have to look, look, look – and then look some more. This often requires pushing back the leaves of the plant to truly see what lies underneath the barrier. You can’t let the scorching sun deter you from your mission. Power through it. Those berries are out there, you just need to keep looking! Same goes for the job search... Never give up! What is meant for you, you WILL obtain in due time. Don’t let a “no” discourage you from the journey.
Lesson 2: Display patience and selectivity!
Take your time. Some of the berries are bruised, while others aren’t ripe enough for picking. You want to pick them in their prime, so peruse the patch slowly and carefully. Don’t settle for a berry just because it was easy to reach. Many times, it's the hard-to-reach places that produce the best experiences. So don’t leave any leaf of the plant unturned, even the scraggly little ones. Examine every inch! In your job search you want to identify and then pursue only the best, most-fitting opportunities for you, not the mediocre.
Lesson 3: Be serious; disciplined and willing to put in the work!
With berry picking, the more time and care you put into choosing the perfect berries, the sweeter the outcome! In a job search you can’t do the least and expect the most! You can‘t want for something and avoid doing the daily activities that would help you secure it! Be a busy bee; networking, interviewing and continuously self-improving! The more effort you put into the search, the more you'll get out of it.
Stay the course, no matter how long it takes!
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