This site is the website of motivational speaker Craig Harper. A constantly updated, one-stop information, inspiration, education and motivation station. Unlike many similar sites, it is a totally free resource for anyone who is serious about moving from mediocre to amazing in any area of their personal or professional life. With hundreds of articles covering a wide range of subject matter, great interviews with cool people and inspirational video posts, there's more than enough brain-food to keep you busy for hours. Okay, days!! Enjoy.
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Craig Harper is Australia's leading
motivational speaker
and educator (according to Google Australia). He is a highly
sought-after corporate coach and is considered to be
a leader and pioneer in the areas of personal and
professional development.
Working with hundreds of
teams, companies and a wide variety of organisations
on numerous continents over the last twenty years
has given Craig a unique insight into, and
understanding of, human performance and all its
variables. Craig has an ability to educate, inspire,
challenge and make people laugh all at the same
time!
Yesterday I said that today we were going to explore the notion of finding our life purpose. And we were going to do that. Until I received a bunch of emails (seven to be exact) all asking me essentially the same three things:
1. How do I change careers to something completely different - without going broke or having a nervous breakdown in the process?
2. How do I make money from my passion, rather than simply having a job which pays the bills?
3. How do I move from professional frustration to professional fulfillment?
Nine to Five Grind
While I'm clearly not a Career Change Expert (I'm sure they exist), I have helped plenty of people over the years re-invent themselves on a professional level and worked with them to discover and embrace their passion, rather than survive their unfulfilling career. Thinking about a career change is extremely common. Some people do it daily. Hourly even. Some people are on a constant quest to find their 'thing', some found their thing long ago and others have resigned themselves to a life of tolerating the work-force and the nine to five grind.
Pity about that last group.
Looking for a Change
I receive at least one or two (sometimes ten) emails most days from people who want to do what I do or something similar. The majority of people who contact me (re career stuff) want to be professional speakers, motivators, coaches. They are looking for change, rejuvenation, re-invention, stimulation and personal growth. And possibly, a little happiness. It seems that plenty of us are regularly looking over the professional fence to see if the grass is greener and more rewarding on the other side. More fun perhaps. More meaningful. More exciting. Less stressful maybe.
A Professional Identity Crisis
I understand the whole changing careers thing first hand because I had something of a professional identity crisis for years when I was younger. In the process of discovering me, I did everything from bouncing in pubs (getting punched by drunk blokes) and working on construction sites, to writing for numerous magazines, working in television and being a University lecturer. I've also taught swimming, worked with handicapped kids, managed other people's gyms, hosted radio shows, established a screen printing business (at twenty), co-owned a beauty salon (clearly), owned several gyms, written a few books, trained three professional sporting teams, coached numerous elite athletes, did my first professional speaking gig at twenty three and went back to full-time study (while maintaining full time work of course) at thirty five.
Using What We've Got
Some things I was good at, some crap, but I always had an eye on creating my best life, keeping an open mind and learning as much as possible. I'm not incredibly talented but I am passionate, driven, optimistic and happy to deal with fear, discomfort and pain. I am good at maximizing what I've got. While other people might have more potential and natural talent, I've always worked hard to get the most out of what I have. Physically, emotionally, mentally and professionally. I have worked consciously and strategically to learn from others who had the knowledge, skills and experience that I lacked. The idea of clocking on and clocking off at work (for forty years) never really appealed to me. Still doesn't. Sure I did stuff along the way that wasn't my ideal (we all do), but for me it was always a stepping stone; part of the discovery and development process. It was never going to be the end of the road. Even the crappy jobs and crappy bosses taught me what I don't want to do or become. Always finding the lesson.
Some (but probably not all) of the following might be of value to you if you are (or could be) thinking about a new professional direction. Take a peek and see what's relevant and meaningful for you... and then do something with it.
1. A career doesn't need to be a life sentence. In going to work each day, some people feel like they are serving an extended jail term. I have worked with people who have successfully taken up new careers in their fifties and sixties. My father (always a gifted artist) didn't start painting professionally until he was in his sixties. Even at sixty nine, his skill and the quality of his work is still improving every year. One of my trainers (Jan) is sixty seven and didn't start working in the fitness industry until she was well into her fifties. Another one of my team is just about to complete her first university degree (Bachelor of Exercise Science) - she's fifty four years young. She now wants to do her Masters and possible a Ph.D down the track. Just because you haven't done something doesn't mean it's not possible, it just means you haven't done it. Yet. You can keep finding an excuse... or you can find a way.
2. Be practical and strategic not emotional, reactive or irrational. Let's be completely honest, lots of us have made plenty of stupid decisions about our career. We've compromised, we've reacted, we've waited, we've made excuses and we've hoped success would magically find us. We waited for the situation to somehow fix itself. Rather than creating opportunities, many of us waited for them to present themselves. Good luck with that. While building a new career can be driven by passion and emotion, it needs to be wrapped in a logical, practical plan.
3. Get clarity and certainty about what you do and don't want from your career. I don't want a boss. I do want to work along side great (passionate, inspirational, talented) people. I don't want a nine to five job. I do want a career that provides me with regular cerebral stimulation. I don't want to travel two hours each way to and from work. I do want to use my communication skills. I do want a career where I am challenged and motivated to keep learning and growing. I do want to have fun every day. I do want to earn enough money to live comfortably. I do want a career where I can be a positive influence in the lives of others. I do want to create and innovate rather than replicate and imitate. What do you want? If you can't (clearly) define it, you probably won't create it.
4. Get educated. It might be necessary for you to re-train yourself for your new career. This could mean anything from enrolling in a part-time course at a local college for eight weeks, through to applying to study medicine for six years at university.
5. Get some experience. It's often a good idea to gain some (unpaid) work experience in the field that interests you. It will give you a greater understanding of, and insight into, what you might be getting yourself into. My first year in radio was completely unpaid - and I was doing a weekly five hour live talk-back show on a commercial station. The experience, the learning and the skill acquisition was much more important to me than any money. My first fifty(ish) speaking gigs (all those years ago) were for free (or close to free). Why? Because I wanted the opportunity to develop my speaking skills and I couldn't become a better speaker... unless I was speaking! In the first year of this site being in existence I worked on average forty to fifty hours per week writing, creating and developing the product. I got paid zero for all of that. For the first six months I'm sure I was writing for about seven people. And my parents were two of them! It's only over the last year where the site has begun to produce any kind of income (via books, DVD's, workshops, etc.) and our readership has grown to about 300,000 readers per month. There was no guarantee that any of this would ever amount to anything in cyberspace. If you are going to volunteer your time and energy to gain work experience along side someone, make sure that you are going to add value to their (work) life. Otherwise you're just another 'project' to distract them from what they really need to be doing and before long they will resent you (seen it many times). People often ask if they can follow me around for a few days (for work experience) but mostly what they're after is free mentoring and coaching.
6. Research. Explore your options. Talk to people who are already successful in a field that interests you. Learn from their experience and their lessons. Don't waste their time; be intelligent, methodical and purposeful in your time with them. When you meet with them, ask meaningful and specific questions (I get asked plenty of mind-numbingly stupid questions). Be organised. Have clarity about what you want to achieve through your research and your time with them. You may need to pay for an hour of their time. If you find the right person, it will be a worthwhile investment and may save you a lot of time and energy.
7. Be realistic. If you can't hold a tune then you're probably not gonna be a rock star any time soon. If you're five feet tall, you're probably not gonna be drafted by the Lakers next week. If you want your own TV show but it needs to be a reality by this Christmas, then that might be a problem. Some people come to consult with me and they want to go from zero speaking experience to packing out a Tony Robbins (type) auditorium by next Tuesday. No experience, modest talent, no speaking skills, no profile... sure, no problem. Close your eyes, I'll just wave my magic wand. Maybe you should do a few freebies, develop some skills, get a little experience and learn a bit first. Waddya think? Just a thought.
8. Toughen up. Changing careers is rarely quick, easy or painless. If you're not emotionally and mentally tough and determined to be in it for the long haul, then (1) toughen up or (2) learn to be happy where you are. Lose the ego, be prepared to make mistakes, look silly and work harder than most. Do what most won't; get uncomfortable, be humble and persevere. A complete transition could take weeks or years. You need to decide if you're up for it.
9. Learn from others but be YOU. Clones are boring. I've met hundred of replicas and they're never happy or successful over the long term because they're constantly acting and pretending to be something they're not.
10. Weigh up the cost. Everything has a price and changing a career often comes at a significant cost; financially, emotionally, mentally, socially and practically. Weigh it up. Consider the practical impact on your life situation (relationships, finances, time, health, future plans). If you go into the process with a realistic understanding of the cost, you're much more likely to process a great result.
The Last Bit
So that's the Craig the sensible and practical educator finished for today.
Now, what Craig the motivator wants to tell you is... stop waiting, stop getting in your own way, stop rationalising mediocrity, stop over-thinking and under-doing, stop compromising, stop wasting your talent, stop making excuses, get some balls and start working on that new career. Do, be and create amazing because that's what you want for your life. That's your standard.
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