Why You Should Apply for Stretch Career Opportunities

We’ve all been there before.

There being a time when a professional opportunity was presented to us, that while excited on the first glance or initial reaction, our nerves soon after started to anxiously fire off with a sense of inner self doubt.

“Am I truly ready for this?”

“Do I honestly have what it takes to be successful in this role/position?”

“What if I fail, falling completely on my face (or better yet embarrass myself and my reputation for not excelling or showing up in my highest light)?”

These types of thoughts are normal for any highly ambitious, self-motivated, and success driven leader.

Those who possess an inner drive that naturally comes from a place inside of them, that words may not even be able to truly do justice for.

These individuals have experienced and advanced through some of life’s most arduous and tumultuous personal events, which has created a sense of them:

1.         Having a high inner faith and belief in their self and abilities

2.         Recognizing and honoring themselves as being a self-aware and growth-minded leader

3.         Being presented with advancement opportunities within their professional companies or organizations

However, guess what is also a quality of many leaders who embody these traits I just shared above too?

Emotional bouts of fear and worry of the unknown.

Hey, at the end of the day we’re all humans, right?

These emotions are normal and are a part of the growth cycle to advance at any stage or level in one’s life.

It started for all of us in as young as our early childhood years, when we first began to take our first steps.

We naturally saw others walking and had an inner desire to evolve into doing the same ourselves.

However, we all know the experience of falling (busting our rears on the floors or ground beneath us), shedding many tears (and maybe even some slight bruises) along the way too, in the pursuit of creating the desired outcome of ‘walking.’

But guess what also happened?

At some point we graduated into effortlessly walking (some of us sooner than others), to the point of there no longer being a fear or worry in any way connected to doing it.

The same goes for riding a bike.

This exact same formula is repeated for it too.

Desire (to ride a bike) + learning experience (falling off the bike numerous times) + repetition (continuing to step back on the bike and try again), eventually leads to the desired outcome (riding a bike with ease and flow).

I’m sure by now you’re probably thinking this sounds pretty simple and elementary, right?

Well if so, it’s probably because to a degree it is, and it’s the same equation for any and all areas of transformative inner growth and advancement within our lives (and this of course includes professionally as well).

I’d like to give a brief example of a current client of mine.

This client is an executive for one of the top professional sports teams (and markets) within the U.S. (oh yea, and one of the youngest in the industry at their position too).

Prior to advancing to their leadership role, they were in a Director position for another professional sports team which had a high level of success (both within the business as well as the field, as they broke revenue numbers and the team won a championship in their tenure there too).

Why do I mention this?

Because due to the success within their previous role (and the amount of time and experience they spent with the organization in ultimately building it up to the point of breaking professional records in revenue numbers), they developed a sense of deep inner confidence, and to a degree, comfortability in where they were and what they had achieved.

However, even beneath that, they desired more.

They love challenges and they desired to step into a higher leadership role that would allow them the capacity to:

1.         Create an even bigger organizational impact

2.         Ultimately test them the same way they had been tested from the very moment they originally stepped into the industry as an intern, nearly fifteen years prior

And..

3.         Relocate their partner and kids to an area that would put them in close proximity to their immediate family (which was very important to them, with family being one of their top personal values)

Guess what ended up happening?

An opportunity became available for them to apply for a Senior Director role within another professional sports organization, who’s top leadership desired to build an entirely new culture.

While they originally felt a sense of excitement, it was instantly met with fear and self-doubt immediately afterwards.

Their ‘inner comfort’ meter began buzzing.

“Do I really need this? I mean to be honest, I’m already in a really good place professionally.”

“I currently work for a team that just won at the highest-level of professional sports, why would I leave now?”

“I don’t know a single person within the other organization… it would almost be like I’m starting completely over from scratch on a relationship building level.”

“Am I even truly ready to take this next step in my career at this time?”

“I feel like I still have A LOT to learn.”

These are some of the thoughts that they shared with me, that were perusing through their psyche around the new opportunity.

While sitting in the doubt and proverbial fears that came around it, they ultimately ended up deciding to go for the position, choosing to move forward in applying for it.

Nervous as nervous could ever be, they had a face-to-face interview with the CEO of the organization, who not only happens to be a Hall of Famer, but was also one of the favorite players of their childhood.

This was their first interview in over five years, as their energy had entirely been focused on building a whole new sales staff and culture, as well as ultimately higher revenue numbers (for at the time, a team with the worst record in professional sports).

To add to that, during the interview they met a few other leadership executives for the team at the time too, which brought up some of their insecurities on a ‘comparison’ level.

They shared with me that it was one of the most humbling experiences of their entire life.

“I did not truly bring my best foot forward, if I’m being honest,” they shared with me face-to-face.

I then reflected back “you did the absolute best that you could…..at that given time.”

Ultimately while they were one of three finalists for the position, the organization ultimately chose to go with another candidate.

This client stated that they learned a tremendous amount about themselves and the process of interviewing at the next level within professional sports (which they overtime understood was priceless in the grand scheme of things).

After this experience they kept their head held high, and began reflecting on the areas within themselves that if enhanced, would create an even greater opportunity to not only be interviewed, but offered a value-aligned position at that level too.

They continued to show up each and every day (in their same role with their current team), proactively working on their communication skills, self-confidence, and ultimately who it was that they were ‘being’ underneath all of the actions in which they created on a day-to-day basis.

Fast forward to a shade under a year and half later, and something very interesting occurred.

1.         The same organization whom he had previously interviewed with (whom they still had a high desire to work for), posted a new role online, in which they were in search of qualified candidates on

2.         However, this time that role was actually for a Vice President position

If you recall, the prior position that they had gone for (and was declined an offer to) the previous calendar year, was that of a Senior Director.

Common sense would more than likely lead the majority of people who found themselves in this exact same position to:

A.         Gracefully bow out on even applying for the role (due to not previously being offered a similar position at a lower level within the company)

Or

B.         Move forward on applying for the role (but beneath doing it, harbor a mindset that they have no shot or chance of landing it)

However, this individual is ‘not common.’

Plus, based on the fact that the team already had a relationship with them (from the earlier interview), and saw qualities and leadership skills within them that they appreciated (even while choosing to go in a different direction then), they deep down knew that they would now show up much differently (if given the opportunity).

Their previous ‘leaning into the discomfort of the unknown’ (by choosing to apply for the role the year prior), created a new opportunity for them to not only have a second chance (but in an even higher role than the one before). How beautiful is that right?

As anticipated, they indeed were much different this time around.

They were more grounded, calm, and confident; truly knowing within every cell and fiber of their ‘being’ that they were ready.

Their presence, poise, and ability to communicate their strengths and the type of culture they would bring, impressed this same CEO they had previously interviewed with, even more so this second time around.

Apparently, the CEO (as well as the other executives), saw something in them the first time (even through their deep barrier of nervousness and anxiety).

Ultimately, they were rewarded for showing up the first time.

For authentically being themselves and expressing their commitment to leading others and meeting the expectations of the organization.

And guess what else?

They knew, from an embodied experience, that they had grown significantly within the gap from the first interview to the second (and it was as clear as day to see from those who had seen them the year prior).

They weren't the same person.

Their whole entire state of being and how they viewed themselves had shifted.

The deep inner work which they had cultivated over the year in between, created a newer and more elevated version of themselves.

As you can probably guess by now, they interviewed for the VP role and was subsequently offered it (to which they accepted).

This individual now is the head of their department for said organization, and it all came from originally applying for a position that ultimately felt like a stretch for them.

‘Stretching’ is what leaders are supposed to do.

It’s in the name of the game of growth, and it’s the only way to advance to a higher level in any and everything we do.

The experience of stretching teaches us valuable lessons about ourselves, and our relationship to the discomfort of being uncomfortable.

When we can embrace and honor the times that we choose to courageously show up (even when we feel that we’re not 100% ready), then we create more inner expansion into the physiological core of our whole entire being.

This inevitably leads to us tapping into higher levels of our potential.

All of this to say, if you want something GO after it.

Apply for that role that may feel like a stretch.

Ask and negotiate for that salary increase that you deep down know you’re worthy and capable of.

Create a clear vision of who you are, what you represent, as well as the skills, qualities, and past experiences that you have, which have afforded you a sense of KNOWING within every fiber and cell of your being, that even when you may not feel 100% ready (as emotions of fear or self-doubt may be dancing around within your body), you still courageously choose to show up (putting your best foot forward, while compassionately embracing the emotional waves that on some level, will always continue to show up along the way).

Breathe deeply into that fear.

Love up on that fear.

And stare at it face to face with your chest and heart wide open.

From that place, take one step forward, no more no less…. and allow the next to be revealed.

And always remember, you got this… always have and always will!

With Love,

Brandon

P.S. –

If you’re conscious, growth oriented, and life-long learning leader who recognizes that even through all the growth stages within your life, that you have blind spots (hint – we all have them), that when able to be seen and reflected back in a mindfully intentional way, can advance inner growth and forward possibilities at a much swifter rate, then I invite you set up a Discovery Call with me to discuss your next level (and see if coaching may be the exact catalyst you could use to get there).

However, this is only for those leaders who know that true leadership comes from within, and is a continual life journey that never stops. Those who recognize that trying to be super man or woman, always doing everything for others by themselves, is a recipe for staying on a ‘default’ instead of ‘created future’ life path, and ultimately places them at a disadvantage amongst other leaders who choose to intentionally invest in their self-growth.

Athletes have coaches. Actors and actresses have coaches. Leaders who ultimately get it and desire to continually grow into their absolute highest life potential, have coaches.

If this is reaching you at a time where you are ready to elevate within your life (rather that be within your professional career, personal health, or intimate relationships), then we should talk.

I promise you that your whole entire life, and your sense of inner fulfillment, peace, and happiness within it, can change in an instant. However, you truly must be open, ready, and willing to see that as a possibility for yourself. Again, if that’s you, then you’re exactly the type of person who I was put on this planet to support and assist. I look forward to hearing from you.