Ask the experts

[CharisseSerrano]

Hi Kristen!

Thanks so much for digging into my thoughts with me and clarifying some of my concepts around the profiles. Your thoughtful responses really help. It makes a lot of sense for me to think about having a secondary Firestarter profile. I have always had entrepreneurship in the back of my mind, but haven’t been able to decide or make time to truly develop a “what” for what my own business could be, let alone get into the “how”.

I also get the “intrapraneurship” potential as a tribemember. When I have been able to lead a project, it probably has been the most fulfilling part of my work. However, this is only made difficult by the generally negative team culture and ultimately hierarchical structure, that means owning a project is subject to all the clearances and approvals above me.

Will definitely give this more thought and go on with the course with this in mind!

Thanks so much,
Charisse

[Kristen W]

So glad to hear my feedback was helpful, Charisse! I’d love to hear how your thoughts about this evolve as you continue to process it all and finish going through the course. 🙂

[JanelFlores]

Hello Ladies,

I cannot express my gratitude enough for creating this course. It has helped me more then my therapy did in finding career direction (which I now understand I needed coaching, not therapy).

When I first took the PP quiz in 2015, I scored as a Thriver which I did identify with. Hindsight, I realized I was at a very vulnerable place professionally so I did place high value on security. I found a “stable”, “secure”, and “comfortable” job, but in my gut I KNEW it was the wrong fit for me. I kept telling myself it will get better and that it was too “risky” to find another job because my benefits are near perfect at this job and I am able to provide for myself financially. But I am suffering internally and really growing resentful and unhappy to the point where I am irritating my family and friends. So this year, I really started focusing on what I would want to do but still had no clear direction where to even start because I knew I wanted to change my career path completely but I was scared of ending up in another job I hated! Luckily I recently stumbled upon your website and quiz again and this time I scored as a Firestarter. I immediately identified with the profile and realized a lot of my needs were not being met at my current job. I felt in my gut I needed this course and here I am!! I now not only know that I defintely want to leave my current job but I now have a much more clear vision of my values, goals, and plan where to go from here! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! 🙂

I do have one question where I am slightly torn. I do identify with Firestatrer, and I do have some Thriver traits but when I read Side Hustler, I really felt I identified with a lot of their traits. So now I am not sure how to decipher which is my primary and secondary of the three? A major theme in my values were independence, autonomy, freedom, creating, flexibility, balance, challenged, education, growth, knowledge, and passion in no particular order. Any advice is appreciated. 🙂

[Rachel E]

Hey Janel!

We’re so happy to hear that you’ve found some direction again. That’s so awesome! 🙂

My gut sense is usually that people who are struggling between 3 types usually are Side Hustlers, or at least have some degree of Side Hustler energy! Because they tend to be the ones that don’t like to pick and vacillate the most between multiple options. Maybe you’re a Side Hustler who identifies more as a Thriver when she needs stability, and then again as a Firestarter when she’s craving autonomy and freedom. And that would be totally OK! What do you think?

[JanelFlores]

Thank you for the quick response, Rachel!

I LOVE that I don’t have to go in a box and I have permission to ebb and flow between my secondary traits. I think it’s a PERFECT description of me and I definitely identify with everything you just said!

Thank you for your wisdom and providing clarity in my life!

I hope you and Kristen have a wonderful holiday season. 🙂

Janel

[Rachel E]

You’re welcome, Janel! Yes, ebbing and flowing is a perfectly great approach. 🙂 Thank you for the holiday wishes! I hope you have a great one as well, and a happy new year as we embark on 2020!

[JoAnnLaMothe]

Hi Kristen and Rachel,
I took the passion profile quiz a while back and just again recently and both times it cme up that I am a Thriver which I totally agree with. I tried going into a field that I was (and still am)passionate about but it didn’t work out. So I went in a different direction and decided just to keep it as my hobby even though I am still passionate about it. I keep trying to find the perfect job and I thought I had found it, but once I got it I no longer liked it and I want to find something else but I don’t know what that is. I am working on PPSC and I am at a loss with some of it on how to answer some of the questions and I still don’t have a clue or direction as to what to do. What is the next thing to do? I have been listening to alot of your podcasts and I can relate to alot of them and it helps me think about things. But everyday that I go to work I am constantly trying to figure out what else I can do and it is making me crazy.

Jo Ann

[Rachel E]

Hey JoAnn,

It’s understandable that you’re frustrated! Anyone in your shoes would feel the same. And, I’m going to give you the difficult, tough-love answer, because honestly there is no easy answer to this question (and you’re not alone; many people can relate to how you’re feeling). My take is this–The perfect job is likely not going to solve all of your problems. Figuring out what to do next is an important step, and I’m definitely not saying you should give up and just accept the reality of a job you don’t like. AND, I suspect that there’s a lot of deeper, inner work that needs to be done. Sometimes we think a job is going to make us happy, but if we haven’t done the inner work–confronting our deep fears, letting go of old beliefs, clarifying our values, and basically figuring out who we are on a profound level–then getting that job isn’t going to feel very satisfying, because we first have to be ABLE to feel satisfied, as a person. We have to have the ability to access deep, profound feelings like fulfillment, acceptance, joy, ease, contentment in order to be a match to a job (or any circumstance) that’s really fulfilling and joyful.

The PPSC is a great place to start! But it’s not meant to be the place where we do that deeper work. That’s what coaching is for, but it’s also what the PPVE is for. It might be a great thing for you to consider doing, since it’s coming up later this month and because it’s the very last time we’ll ever be doing it. 🙂

[JoAnnLaMothe]

What would be best for me to do, the PPVE or 1 on 1? Can I apply what I paid for the PPPSC towards the PPVE like the offer I got for the 1 on 1?

Thanks,
Jo Ann

[Rachel E]

Hey JoAnn!

Good questions! Since it’s the last time we’re offering the PPVE, I think it could be a great thing for you to do. It’s a good way to dip your toes in the water, and then if you were to want more coaching after that, which some people do, you likely wouldn’t need as much as you might have, previously. We give all of our PPSC people a members-only discount on the PPVE, so be on the lookout for that (we’ll email you all about it) in a few weeks. 🙂

[JoAnnLaMothe]

Hi Girls,
Are all your podcasts available to listen to from when you started doing them? How do you find them all? I can only get the last years worth on youtube, or else I don’t know how to get older ones. I really like listening to them as I get something out of everyone I have listened to.

Thanks,
JoAnn

[JoAnnLaMothe]

Hi Kristen and Rachel,
I am doing the PPCS and I am finding that my job does match with my values for the most part but I just don’t like the job. I find it so boring that I fall asleep sometimes. I really want to like it because it does match with alot of my values but I’m just not that interested in it. I feel like other people love this job and are very into it but I don’t feel the same but I feel I should feel that way, does that make sense? Can I learn to like it or do I move on?

Confused,

Jo Ann

[Kristen W]

Hi JoAnn,

I moved your comments to this topic, instead of keeping them as their own separate topics, so the forum wouldn’t get too crowded or confusing! 🙂

Thanks for that nice feedback about our podcast! You’re right that all of our podcast episodes aren’t on YouTube, but yes, you can find ALL of them multiple places, including here on Apple Podcasts or here on PlayerFM.

As to your question about your current job, it makes sense that you’re confused and frustrated by the fact that your job “should” be a good fit for you, based on your values, but clearly isn’t because you’re bored most of the time. And it’s even harder when you see other people enjoying the job, which can make you feel like, “What’s wrong with me for being so bored??” But it’s perfectly normal for a job to be ideal for one person, and seriously lacking to the next person. There’s nothing at all wrong with you for not liking this job, and I don’t think the answer is to try to force yourself to enjoy it.

Instead, I’m wondering if you might need to add a new value to your list — something along the lines of “growth” or “stimulation” or “variety” or “excitement” or “passionate.” Clearly you value being engaged in your work, and that’s the big missing piece with your current role. And knowing that can help you look for a new role that intrinsically interests and motivates you.

Hope that helps!

[JoAnnLaMothe]

Hi Kristen,
How do I even go about finding that type of role where I am engaged in stimulating work that also fits my other values? Will the PPVE course get me any closer than the PPSC did? Or should I talk with one of you to see if counseling is the next best step. I can’t afford to do both and I don’t feel any closer from doing the PPSC. I still just don’t know what direction to go in? I do love listening to your Podcasts and getting different insights on things, it really does help me think in a different way. But I guess I am looking for an answer as to what I should do.

Thanks,
JoAnn

[Rachel E]

Hi JoAnn,

We have a process in the PPVE (which is the same core content we use with our 1:1 coaching clients) that walks you through defining, narrowing down, and exploring your career options in a way that aligns with your values. As you’ve discovered in the PPSC, getting clear on your Passion Profile can be helpful, but often the work doesn’t stop there, because there is usually a lot more refining and deeper work to be done. That’s the work we do in the PPVE, as a group, and in 1:1 coaching in an individual way. If I were you, I’d consider starting with the PPVE, since it’s a much more affordable option than 1:1 coaching, and you get to experience the same core content and work on defining your values and getting clear on your options.

That said, I do want to touch on what you said at the end of your post: “I guess I am looking for an answer as to what I should do.” You probably already know this, but I wouldn’t be a good coach if I didn’t say that coaching (be it in one of our courses or 1:1!) is not ultimately about us doling out answers. It’s about us guiding you through a process that can help clarify what’s been keeping you blocked or stuck; as well as clarifying what you value and how to go about searching for paths that will align with those values. But there usually isn’t a “right” answer as to what anyone should or shouldn’t do. Coaching is far more about helping you become a clear, confident, capable person, so that you feel good about venturing into the unknown and exploring your options and allowing life to unfold in ways you couldn’t predict (and not getting anxious or bent out of shape about that unpredictability). So if that sounds good, then the PPVE will resonate a lot with you!

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