5 Ways to Overcome Fear, Doubts, and Uncertainty in Your Career

Fear is often one of the strongest emotions we experience when it comes to taking on new challenges and tasks in a career. Sometimes we allow doubt to creep into our minds and we tell ourselves that we have no business expecting success and we feel like a fraud when we get that promotion.

This is common to many people and there are ways to deal with these thoughts and feelings.

Try these five ways to overcome fear, doubt, and uncertainty in your career:

1. Meditate. Take 5 to 10 minutes when you start your day to practice meditation. This calming practice will help set your fears and anxieties to rest and also allow you to fill your mind with some positive words if you add a simple phrase to meditate on, such as "I am grateful for each new opportunity."

2. Identify strengths and successes. Write down three of your strengths, along with three significant successes you've had in your life. Post this somewhere you can view it several times throughout the day. Drawing attention to your strengths and successes will help remind you that you are capable and have the skills necessary to be a success.

3. Practice positive self-talk. Learn to identify when you are telling yourself negative thoughts or are filled with fear and doubt. Take a moment to breath carefully and replace your thoughts with something true and inspiring. This is where identifying your strengths and successes can come in handy. Replace your doubts by reminding yourself of the ways you excel.

4. Surround yourself with positive and encouraging people. The people in our lives play an important role in our mood and how we think of ourselves. Make an effort to associate with people who inspire and encourage you to be the best version of you.

5. Seek out a mentor. When taking on new challenges and opportunities it can feel overwhelming and so it is important and beneficial to have an experienced person who can serve as a sounding board and provide counsel and advice while you grow in your work.

Try to implement these five strategies at any time in your life and career and you'll likely decrease the hold that fear, doubts, and uncertainty has over you.

5 Rules for (First-time) Managers

You just got that promotion to manager and your team of ten staff members is looking to you for leadership and direction. Now what?

Becoming a people manager for the first time (or any time, really) can be a daunting task, and it's not a job for everyone. However, here are five rules to become an effective manager:

1. Learn everything about the job. Take time to learn all aspects of your job and the work of your employees. You'll be a better advocate for your team and be a better problem-solver when you understand every aspect of your employees tasks.

2. Listen (and Learn) from your employees. Your employees are the experts. Learn from them and make an effort to listen before jumping in with suggestions. Be know as a someone who really hears his or her employees and you'll become a successful manager.

3. Communicate effectively and often. Don't hide in your office or cubicle all day. Be visible, and communicate with your employees often in person and by email. Become a student of effective communication.

4. Admit your mistakes. You will make mistakes and your employees will notice them (and talk about them behind your back). Make an effort to own your mistakes, admit them when appropriate, and correct them. Your team will come to respect you when you can take responsibility for your errors and work to fix them.

5. Praise your employees and put them in position to succeed. People respond well to praise and encouragement and you'll want to make this a regular part of your management style. Find unique and innovation ways to praise and acknowledge good work, but don't ignore the importance of a simple thank you. In addition, put your employees in position to succeed by allowing them to utilize their strengths in their jobs.

Follow these five rules for management and you'll make the transition from first-time manager to experienced supervisor that much easier.

4 Communication Tips for Work and Career

The way we speak and what we say--both our words and nonverbal communication--has a serious impact on our career and life success. Developing effective communication skills is integral to meeting your work and career goals.

When thinking about your communication patterns at work keep the following tips in mind:

1. Speak positively about your boss. It is inevitable that your boss will make decisions you don't agree with but you should never discuss this with others in a way that demeans your boss or demonstrates a lack of respect for him or her.

2. Encourage and support colleagues. Develop a reputation as one who praises, encourages, and supports co-workers and you will have others wanting to work with you, including those higher up the chain of command.

3. Do not disparage former workplaces or supervisors. Be sure not to speak ill of former companies, managers, or colleagues. The world is a small place and you might just find yourself working with, or for, some of those individuals again.

4. Speak with confidence. Believe in and own your opinions. Look people in the eye and state confidently what you believe about making the project a success. You will gain the respect of others when they see your confidence paired with your ability to follow-through.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 5 Career Questions to Ask Yourself

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

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• 5 Career Questions to Ask Yourself: "You first need to decide what sort of life you want and what role work will play in it. You can then adjust your expectations and needs regarding your career."


• 3 Keys to Being Fully Charged: "It is easier to improve your own happiness — and the well-being of others — when you focus on doing it right now. Taking small, meaningful actions today is the best way to make changes."


• 10 Ways to Become a More Confident Person: "Confidence-building is a virtuous cycle. No one but you is in the driver’s seat. All you have to do is buckle up and try something you've never tried before."


• Purpose is Good for You and for Business: "We believe that if more institutions—from work places to educational systems—were to embed programs and policies into their work that consciously cultivate purpose-directed individuals, we would see more passionate, engaged and flourishing employees."


• 6 Ways Your Significant Other Can Boost Your Career: "It always seems to mean more when your significant other tells you that you are smart, capable and skilled at what you do."