4 Career Myths to Avoid

24 June 2016

A myth is a widely held, but false belief or idea. Myths by their very nature surround us like air and often go unnoticed and unchallenged.  We often accept them like they are true without ever really questioning them. 

Unfortunately many myths surround the topic of career.  These myths act to unnaturally raise and narrow the expectations we have about our careers, making it more difficult than it needs to be to feel fulfilled and happy in this thing called career.

Lets have a look at 4 key myths I often see. Because when you are aware of them you can take action to avoid them.  These are:

• The Myth of the Title
• The Myth of Divine Intervention
• The Myth of the Ladder
• The Myth of the Rosy Glasses

The Myth of the Title

This is the myth of the need to pursue a specific title. You are first exposed to this myth when you are around 4 or 5 years old.  It comes with the words: “Now little one, what do you want to be when you grow up?”  As kindly as these words are they seed in us, from a very young age, several limiting factors about how we view career.  

The big idea (that is really a myth) that is seeded at this time is that career is about having a title and being able to say “I am a fireman” or “I am a dentist” or “I am a shopkeeper, gardener, banker…”  Children are rarely rewarded with smiles from adults should they reply that they want to try out lots of different things, or that they want to skip from one title to another, or that they want to make a up a new title.  So this myth perpetuates and becomes an unquestioned thing – the unquestioned belief that having a good career is about having something that has a distinct title.  

As Emilie Wapnick explores in a lovely TED talk some people (in fact many people) are not destined for just one career, but are “multipotentialites”.  Increasingly the world of work doesn’t give people distinct titles.  Instead careers are typically varied, composed of different elements and created in a way that suits you.

Myth of Divine Intervention

Somewhere along the development of our thinking about career we picked up the second myth that is the Myth of Divine Intervention.  With this myth we learn the idea that our career needs to be something that we feel ‘called’ to do.  That there is one thing (a title) out there that is the thing that we were put on earth to do. 

Along with this comes the belief that we will only have a great career, and feel fulfilled, if we find that one thing.  When we don’t (and most of us don’t) we feel like we are getting it wrong and feel unfulfilled and like we are missing out.

I don’t want to imply that you shouldn’t look for and do things you find meaningful and find purpose in, but finding things you care about is much more realistic and more attainable than holding the myth that there is just one thing that is your calling.  The luminary thinker Seth Godin explores this idea further in a lovely short post about finding your caring rather than your calling.

So instead of holding onto the Myth of Devine Intervention start looking for the elements in your current work that you can care about.

Myth of the Ladder

Now if the Myth of the Title or the Myth of Divine Intervention did not make it difficult enough to feel good about career another unquestioned myth is also there for many of us - The Myth of the Ladder.

The Myth of the Ladder says that no matter what it is you are doing in career, and no matter how content and happy you currently are, you should be looking to advance to a position of greater power and influence. 

The insidious thing about this myth is that it implies that it is not enough to become more skilled and proficient at what you do – instead you should always be looking to move up the ladder taking on more responsibility and gaining more power. 

I see this myth raise it’s head all the time when good operators are urged to go into management roles as the only option to advance their careers. 

Now, it is important that you continue to stretch the amount of challenge (see link to a previous article) you have in your role, but this does not always have to come in the form of moving up the ladder.

Myth of the Rosy Glasses

Finally there is the Myth of the Rosy Glasses that perpetuates the myth that getting a better-paid job, or a job with better conditions, or a better boss, or better whatever will solve all your problems. 

The myth is that with career advancement the things that trouble you now, the things that are barriers and setbacks now, will just disappear with a new job – pfft! 

Very rarely does this happen.  Financial freedom, for example, does not come with increased salary, it only comes when you learn and follow the principles of good money management.  Better relationships don’t materialise because you move to a sunny climate.  Careers don’t become more fulfilling and engaging because you change jobs. 

Before falling for the Myth of the Rosy Glasses ask what you need to learn from your current circumstances so you don’t perpetuate current barriers into the future.   

Dispel some of these myths with the following actions:

1.     There will be lots of factors motivating you about the next career move you want to make, but first take some time to reflect on the 4 myths exposed above. Assess how much each of them factor into the career decisions you are currently making.  Then decide if it is a belief that is useful to keep – and it is OK if it is, but at least you will hold it consciously rather than unconsciously.

2.     Please, please, please stop asking children what they want to be when they grow up.  Instead ask them what sorts of things (note the plural) they want to care about when they grow up, or what skills they want to get really good at using, or the things they want to make a difference in.  They are so open to being influenced by us - lets set them up to have diverse, varied careers where their security comes from their passion, skills and attitude not from their title.

3.     Start making a list of things you care about – push yourself to come up with 20.  Then for a week notice how many of the things you care about present themselves to you in your current work and life.  Perhaps there is more caring you can bring to your current job?

4.     Read my article on making proactive decisions about your career before you make a decision to apply for any new role and make sure you have good reasons to be running towards the role.

Wishing you a Flourishing Career

Katherine