The Gift Of Anticipation

As I write this, it’s early in the morning of Christmas eve and while the anticipation of Christmas morning just 24 hours or less awaits, Anticipation itself is felt before job interviews, while awaiting calls to offer you employment or the fresh start on your ramped-up job search in 2015.

Some cynics will tell you not to get too high when job searching, and they base that advice on the knowledge that for every single person that gets the job offer, there are dozens who will be disappointed, let down and could become discouraged. The advice they are kindly giving is meant to spare you the crash from high anticipation to rock bottom frustration. I can see why that advice is handed out.

On the other hand, why not allow your anticipation to soar? If you are pouring out a lot of energy investing in your job search, researching employers, networking with employees who work at companies you want to join, penning your very best cover letter and targeting your resume – oh my goodness I think you have every right to be excited and full of anticipation!

Now that doesnt’ necessarily mean you should be someone who sees every job offer with rose-coloured glasses. Isn’t it possible however to want a job quite badly, do your best to apply to it, hang in anticipation of a positive result but not get that positive result and still keep an overall upbeat attitude? It is for some, and so it may be possible for you too. Like any other skill, it takes practice.

I’m working with someone right now as a matter of fact who is in the process of looking for a full-time job. She works with me as a colleague but her employment is on a part-time basis, and as a 28 year-old woman with her own home, a full-time job would provide her with long-term financial security. So she’s been applying for full-time jobs in clerical positions both internally and with other organizations.

This woman of whom I speak is fantastic. She’s upbeat, positive, greets everyone she meets all day long with a sincere hello and smiles a beautiful smile. She’s also got experience working in several different departments with the same employer that I work with, and is helpful, organized, computer literate, does her job with energy and meets all her deadlines.

Now she’s applied to several jobs, had interviews but not landed as yet the full-time job. Cause for disappointment? Yes. Discouragement? Yes. However, the day after hearing the decisions that don’t go in her favour, she’s back at her job with zeal, still maintaining that positive attitude and still anticipating going through the process again until she lands the job she wants and is wanted in. That feeling of anticipation once ignited is hard to extinguish.

Anticipation itself as I titled this article is a gift. It’s the promise we give ourselves that there is something better than what we currently have that is just around the corner and we want it bad enough that we anticipate the results. Why look at Christmas itself. Why do we wrap gifts? It sparks the anticipation of seeing something wrapped with our name on it under the tree but we can’t open it until Christmas morning. OH THE ANTICIPATION!

Job applications are full of anticipation but so too is that first day on the job. Will people like me? Where will I sit? Will I have a window? What will my boss be like? Where will I park the car? Will anyone ask me to join them for lunch? All of these questions and others like them cause some stress and others joy, but they all come with anticipation of the answers. Although we intellectually know there is no way of answering those questions until we are in the moments and on the job, we still expend energy thinking of the possible scenarios even though we have no power to determine the results while at home pondering the questions.

Okay so 2015 is all about an opportunity to start with a fresh slate. 2014 and it’s highs and lows is drawing to its natural end and you’ve got this wonderful gift of a blank new calendar and can shape yoru own future. What do you anticipate will happen in 2015? Same old results? New and exciting changes for the better?

The beautiful thing I have discovered is that by and large we are the designer and architect of our own destiny to a great extent. We can’t make someone hire us, but we sure can ensure we put ourselves in positions to succeed. We can update our skills, network and meet people, get out more and be visible and we can keep looking and applying for work that we anticipate will bring us financial independence and happiness.

I encourage you to move into 2015 with optimism, positive anticipation and choose your daily attitude to be one of positive energy. You can’t have highs without lows, so if you’ve had your share of lows tell yourself you’re due. Things don’t drop in our laps often. More than likely we have to be proactive, act, and get after what we really want. Anticipate good things for yourself but take the actual steps to make them become your reality.

Merry Christmas if I may to you dear readers. Thanks for your support in 2014. I anticipate great things and big changes in 2015 are coming.

Written By Kelly Mitchell

The Gift Of Anticipation was originally published @ myjobadvice and has been syndicated with permission.