How to Overcome a Work Slump

I've recently suffered a major career setback. Since I teach about high performance and career growth, I want to share how I am addressing it. One day you will need this recipe yourself! My goal in my current "career" is to reach as many people as I can, and to help them achieve career success and satisfaction. For the last three years, the way to do this has been through LinkedIn. Unfortunately, LinkedIn recently made some unknown changes to their algorithm. Other Top Voices and I have noticed a drop of 70% to 80% in the reach of our posts. Since my goal is to share my knowledge with more people, that means my goal just took an 80% hit. In general, setbacks in performance are either due to: A) Something we did Or B) Something external, outside our direct control Mistakes, poor decisions, and missed deadlines are examples of A. They are in our control. Things like Covid, high interest rates, and reorganizations at work are examples of B, outside our control. LinkedIn's change is also case B, outside my control. When a setback comes from something in your control, you know clearly what you did wrong and what you need to change to restore your performance and progress. Fixing your own issues may take time and be difficult, but you know what to do. When the setback is due to something outside your control, you do not know how to fix the issue. So, how can we react when our performance is shattered and we do not know why? Here is my recipe: 1. Allow yourself a fixed amount of time to grieve (and complain if you wish). Emotions are real, and before you can move on you will need to sit with those emotions. But, do not get stuck in them. Curse your bad luck, pout for a minute, etc. Then, move to the next step. 2. Refocus on your core value. Whatever happened, go back to how you define high performance to ensure it is still relevant. I admit, I slipped into defining my own performance by how many people viewed my LinkedIn posts. This was a mistake. My mission is to help others, so getting views is a proxy, not a result. And, using LinkedIn is just a method for the mission, not the mission itself. 3. Adapt your core value if you must (if its value has decreased). In my case, the value of what I offer hasn't changed, the external delivery system has. 4. Once you adapt and/or increase your value, find new ways to deliver it if necessary. Luckily, I have other options for reaching people: my Substack newsletter, YouTube, etc. Since Substack has been such a good partner recently, I will start there. I have also refocused how I write on LinkedIn to make every post focused on my goal. 5. Test, measure, adapt, repeat! Really, this step is everything. Once you get past the grief, jump into action in this loop. Nothing can stop you if you keep working to refine, deliver, and showcase your core value. Comments? Here's my newsletter, which is my next area of investment: https://lnkd.in/gXh2pdK2

Have you ever considered 1:1 sales coaching? If so, here's a real transcript of a recent coaching session so you know what to expect, with the clients name removed for confidentiality: Meeting Purpose Coaching session to help [Client] get back on track with his productivity and motivation. Key Takeaways [Client] has been slipping on doing important but not urgent tasks like prospecting, strategic planning, and professional development after a period of high productivity. Ian provided strategies to overcome this slump, including using the 12 Week Year scoring system, giving himself timed breaks when resisting tasks, watching videos on "Winning the Internal Battle" and "Getting Out of a Slump", and using AI prompts for strategic work. The core mindset shift is valuing his time at over $470/hour based on his income goals, and realizing that wasted time is real financial cost that impacts his family's future. Coaching Topics Recognizing the Slump [Client]has backslid on habits and tasks he had been diligently doing for months Simple tasks like sending emails are getting pushed off for days despite knowing he should do them. He took a break after closing some deals, letting his foot off the gas Analyzing the Root Causes Old habits and identity are resisting the changes [Client] is trying to make Lack of urgency around strategic, long-term tasks makes it easier to procrastinate Belief that he deserves a break after big wins is counterproductive thinking Valuing His Time Broke down [Client] income into an hourly rate of $470+ for RGA's Calculated the real cost of recently wasting 45 hours over three weeks is over $21,000 - a year of college tuition Top performers don't waste time because they deeply value their time as money Strategies to Overcome the Slump Use the 12 Week Year scoring system to hold himself accountable Give himself a 15 min timed break when resisting a task, then re-engage Watch videos on "Winning the Internal Battle" and "Getting Out of a Slump" Use the AI prompts for strategic work to make it easier to get started Connect to his "Why" of being able to retire and support his family's future Next Steps Watch the recommended videos on mindset Start using the 12 Week Year scoring again Try the timed break strategy when resisting tasks Leverage the AI prompts for strategic work Map out a retirement/income plan to solidify his motivating "Why" Action Items Get back to scoring 12-week year and executing tasks on schedule, starting immediately Watch 'Winning the internal battle' and 'Getting out of a slump' videos to get strategies for overcoming resistance and procrastination Resume prospecting, strategic work and professional development activities immediately, starting with 5 accounts Think of time as money to motivate self to avoid wasting time and work consistently PS - If sales coaching sounds like it would help you, book a free coaching strategy call here: here https://lnkd.in/gsr474YU

I decided to start the week with this. I’ve discovered that for experienced professionals, some things seem like platitudes. But for folks who are still feeling their way through their career, and “adulting" the right type of guidance helps. You feel overwhelmed at work & are not doing tasks you like. Unmotivated & frustrated, you're uncertain if you should quit, pursue a master’s program, or start your own business. But even that is confusing! Sounds familiar? Here is how I recommend you get out of that rut. 1) 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: It's okay not knowing everything. The key is to embrace learning & keep growing each day. Accept that it's fine to make mistakes, provided you learn from them. It's part of the learning curve. 2) 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐆𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬: SMART= specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. Instead of saying, "I want to get better at my job," say, "I want to improve my sales numbers by X% in Q3." This gives you a clear target and a way to measure your progress. 3) 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞 Y𝐨𝐮𝐫 G𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬: Have clear, tangible goals and visualize them daily. They serve as your signal in times of uncertainty and remind you what your targets are. 4) 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞: While motivation is a can aid action, it fluctuates. Discipline, on the other hand, keeps you going even when motivation wanes. Discipline is committing to your goals and working towards them, 5) 𝐀𝐜𝐭!: Instead of waiting for the perfect plan, take action based on the information you have. Be willing to adjust your approach as you gain new insights, moving closer to your goals with each step forward. 6) 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤: Seek constructive feedback from colleagues, mentors, or supervisors. This can give you insight into areas where you can improve. Remember, feedback is not a criticism of you as a person but a tool to help you improve. 7) 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬: Maintain a sense of curiosity about your work and field. This can lead to a deeper understanding and open new avenues for growth. Ask questions, do research, & always strive to know more. 8) 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤: Building relationships can be beneficial. You can learn from experiences, get advice, & discover opportunities you would not have otherwise found. Don't be afraid to connect with others. 9) 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: Everyone has days they feel inadequate. It's part of being human. Instead of feeling bad about yourself, approach these situations objectively. 10) 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞: Work is important, but so is the rest of your life. Ensure you have work-life balance. This prevents burnout & keeps you from getting overwhelmed. Relax. Spend time with loved ones. Remember, personal & professional development is a continuous journey of growth and self-discovery. Embrace the process, stay resilient, & enjoy the fulfillment that comes from progress and achievement. Have a great week. Davidson 

I used to spend 71% of my week waiting for the other 29%. After months of living for the weekends, I knew I had to make a change. I was ready to leave my job, but wasn't about to quit on a whim. I used these 4 practices to infuse the life back into my week while I worked toward what's next. (use them the way my clients do) 1. Create a joy list. Identify 10 activities that spark joy. Trick is: you can do at any time & they're not dependent on anyone else. For example: - Long walk + podcast - 2 minute dance party - Light a candle + journal - Sip your coffee w/ no tech - Cook/order your fave meal Incorporate at least 1 per day. 2. Practice gratitude for what your job provides you. You're not quitting tomorrow for a reason. - What does your income enable? - What about those benefits? - Your favorite coworker? - Skills you're gaining? 3. Examine your boundaries. If answering pings at 11PM brings waves of anxiety, stop answering them. Learn how to set boundaries and be okay with disappointing others for a season to put yourself first. When you prioritize your non-negotiables (e.g. gym 4x/week), everyone else gets a better version of you. 4. Carve out time for your career transition. If you want to leave but aren't taking action on it, you'll feel hopeless about the future. Get clear on what you want next & dedicate time to building your story and executing your strategy. Make this time a new non-negotiable. If you want guidance or accountability to move faster, hire a coach. Don't wait until you land a new role to feel better. Find ways to feel good along the journey to accelerate your path there. What other tools have you used to feel good along the way while in transition? Lmk in the comments 👇