It's All In How You Look At It

Two men John and Ken had been working for a company for over 15 years.  They both were well thought of employees and dedicated to the organization.  Over the past several months they had seen several employees laid off.  However, due to the length of their employment and the quality of their work they were not concerned about losing their jobs.  It was a Friday afternoon and they were looking forward to spending the weekend with their families.

It was about two o’clock in the in the afternoon and each of them were called into their manager’s office.  The manager explained that due to a poor economy the company needed to make some tough choices.  One of the choices was to lay them off.

When John heard the news he could not believe it.  Something cut him deep down inside.  For a brief moment he did not know how to feel or what to say.  There was only shock and a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He asked, “Why me?  Was my work not satisfactory?”  His manager reassured him that it was not his work, and that the company would be offering a two month severance package along with transition assistance.  He restated that the reason was purely financial.

John wrestled with how he would break the news to his wife.  With kids in college and very little savings John was overwhelmed with the thought of what he would do.  John quickly crawled into a shell of despair.  He started to question his worth and whether he would ever find another job in this economy.  Paralyzed with fear of the unknown, John was stuck.

Ken on the other hand took the news differently.  Ken was definitely disappointed in the loss of his job; after all he loved his work and the people he worked with.  However, understanding that the loss of his job was not due to his inability to do the work or the quality of it, he looked at the loss as an opportunity.  He had always thought about opening up his own small business and now this gave him the opportunity to investigate it further.  After telling his wife and family about being laid off Ken put a plan of action in place to position himself for his next opportunity.  He figured he had two months of severance and unemployment insurance to get his business up and running.

After four months Ken opened his new business, and although it is not making money, he believes it is only a matter of time.

Two men in the same position, one chooses to give in to fear and anxiety and the other looks at the situation as an opportunity.  To be clear, John is not wrong to feel the way he feels.  It is said that losing a job is like a death in the family.  There is a grief cycle that one goes through.  The key to coming out of it is not to lose faith in your abilities and experience.  When John and Ken lost their jobs the company did not keep their skills and their experience, they took their skills with them.

Remember your accomplishments and your successes.  Trust yourself and focus on the goals you have set for your future.

It‘s important to remember that all of us will be faced with significant challenges in life.  In order to navigate through them it will take fortitude and perseverance.

You have the ability to create a new reality for your life.  It is not just about your ability to get the next job.  It is about positively impacting the lives of those you come in contact with on the road to your next job opportunity.

Remember:  It’s all in how you look at it.