Career Ownership: Are You Frustrated FRED?

Career Frustration Isn’t Immortal

… or at least is isn’t supposed to be.

Fred Flintstone and his boss, Mr. Slate, didn’t have the ideal employer-employee relationship. Mr. Slate often fired Fred (and then re-hired him) as a running joke in the classic 1960’s Saturday morning cartoon. Suffice to say that Fred’s job / career – often seemed to leave him stressed, angry, worried, or disengaged. In a word: Frustrated!

This just in: Job and career frustration happens. It’s normal. And it’s been around since, well, … at least as long as Fred Flintstone. However, it should NOT be a chronic characteristic of your career.

A recent Gallup survey revealed that about 70% of Americans have a serious problem with job satisfaction, and yet, far too many people get “stuck” in Frustrated mode and either (1) won’t acknowledge it, or (2) won’t do anything about it. There is strong evidence to suggest that is changing.

Many people in the new “at-home workforce” took stock of their “real” goals, and  opted for “The Great Resignation”. Some then navigated through “The Great Reshuffle”, experienced “The Great Regret”, but actually landed in “The Great Ownership Revolution”. This trend is continuing. The Great Resignation may have been fallout from COVID, but we’re now seeing “The Great Ownership Revolution” as a viable path for those who’ve been Frustrated;

… frustrated from being a pawn in Corporate America’s everlasting chess match to optimize employee staffing.

Last time (Link to previous article), we asked the Career Ownership question:

Are YOU FRED? (Frustrated, Retired recently, Entrepreneurial, or Downsized?)

The Mechanics of Career Frustration

Today, let’s look at Frustrated:

1. Some typical sources of career frustration
2. The impact frustration can have on you and your career
3. How frustration can drive some people to explore career ownership and more rewarding careers.

The “lack of control” in corporate career positions is the most common cause of frustration I hear from my clients. There’s nothing more frustrating for a professional than to be given rewarding responsibilities, with accountability, and then being told to produce results – without the matching authority to “make it happen”. The truth is: You just can’t go to the moon without a rocket. Raise your hand (or better, “Like” this post!) if YOU’VE ever been challenged to make lemonade … with no lemons!

Other common causes of career frustration:

• Declining industry (any Blockbuster employees out there?)
• Workplace culture / politics (aw, c’mon man, … that really exists?)
• Travel (some is okay; a lot can be tough on young families)
• Compensation Stagnation (trading time for money is subject to an employer’s budget)
• Peter Principle (hey, leadership & hiring mistakes are common)

So, how can frustration affect you and your career? It depends.

First, determine the causes of your frustration and clearly identify which ones are:

1. Under your control
2. Outside your control

I challenge you to look closely at these two categories because I would argue that you have more control than you think you do. Because …

Artificial barriers are REAL.

Until YOU decide they aren’t.

Next, do the causes of your frustration have a definitive and known lifespan, or are they immortal? If they can’t be slain, then you may need to find a way to escape to career ownership / self-sufficiency. Permanently.

Once you answer the questions above, think specifically about how and why the frustration is affecting you and your career. Consider your relationships, work quality, creativity, general mood, and energy level. Are you still striving for excellence in everything you do, or are you just trying to endure certain areas of your life? Is there a difference in the impact based on your level of control, or the potential duration of the cause? I’ll bet there is. And most important:

When is enough … enough?

This is not meant to be a rhetorical question. A week? A month? A year?

Just what is your threshold of frustration that you’ll deal with before deciding that the risk of status quo is greater than the risk of making a change?

Taking control and moving to career ownership requires 3 “C’s”: Courage, Competence, and Confidence. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it won’t be scary. Roller coasters can be scary too, but there’s also fun in taking the ride! Best of all, there’s a big payoff in taking control: YOU make the decisions and manage the process, and whether you rise to quick success – or stump your toe along the road – there’s much less frustration and greater satisfaction in knowing that, like Frank Sinatra sang, “I did it my way!” Furthermore, you’ll be self-driven – and have the authority – to manage the plan changes necessary to reach your goals and expectations.

That “control” is the number one thing my clients tell me they gain and appreciate when they leave the frustration abyss that once held them captive. Success isn’t guaranteed, but by golly, when you’ve got the 3 “C’s” and a good plan, a LOT of good things can happen.

Overcoming FEAR (“False Evidence Appearing Real) is the ignition that drives you away from the frustration and toward a path to career ownership. Once you recognize that crippling career frustration is a huge risk in itself, then the risk of discovering and embarking on YOUR next (ad)venture pales in comparison.

Ready to Take Action?

Are YOU Frustrated FRED? If so, you’re NOT alone! And, there IS something practical and specific you can do to improve your position.

Who OWNS YOUR career? If you’re not in control of your own career path, and ready to explore alternatives, then follow this Step 1 link to learn more about Career Ownership™ !

You owe it to yourself to see what else is out there!

Next time, we’ll look more closely at “Retired FRED“, and why many recent retirees are seeking a little “something to do” at their own pace, and on their own terms!

To your success!

Julian Reid, LinkedIn Profile

#CareerChange #JobSearch #CareerTransition #Franchising #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness