The reality of most formal educational programs and professional development certifications is people are prepared to develop and properly manage in business with little acknowledgement of the stressors associated with success.
Subsequently, goal setters are rarely prepared for the emotionality of the journey. Even in psychology and other mental health professions, there is rarely, if any, discussion on how to manage one’s own emotions when owning and operating a professional practice. Occasionally, people are advised to practice self-care as a means to separate and regroup. I have been urging professionals for to take the self-care concept to another level.
In my 20 years of counseling, I have worked with highly motivated professionals who diligently work to achieve their goals. And while I have helped them work through some of the obstacles of reaching those goals regarding the logistics of a business plan or other issues, most of my work in this area has been guiding them in understanding the emotionality of their plateaus – when they feel stuck or dissatisfied.
In reality, very little instruction is offered in the classroom on overcoming or managing the wide range of emotions highly motivated people experience and endure. For example, I help aspiring and seasoned professionals understand fear or the anxiety is a natural response to a new endeavor. In turn, helping them develop alternate measures for handling the negative emotions associated with reaching new levels of success – oftentimes alone because few people have the tenacity to persevere.
Or perhaps, someone is experiencing guilt associated with their success because others around them have failed to ascend for reasons unrelated to them. Regardless of the source or the irrationality of the guilt, it has the capacity to thwart the process and become a hinderance.
The overall goal is to help people understand the necessity of dealing with those emotions just as you would any other shortfalls in a business plan.When we ignore the emotionality of success, we risk our success and create an avenue which could change the trajectory of our journey. Too many people are ignoring their emotions until they have a full mental health disruption and require intensive treatment. This is why I tell every audience I have the opportunity to address that they need to have a therapist just as they have a primary care physician, a dentist, an optometrist, a barber, etc. It is absolutely imperative that people stop ignoring their mental health because then the conversation changes from mental health to mental illness.
I interview professionals monthly on my digital talk show, “Goals Don’t Have Feelings” to discuss the many parameters associated with being successful. Join us on the first Thursday of each month. You can locate the information at www.StaciaAlexander.com or follow me on Facebook at Goals Don’t Have Feelings with Dr. Stacia Alexander.
