Career and Elections Results

When it feels like it hurts your career, what should you do?

We’re all tired of hearing about how politically divisive our society has become. Maybe you’ve heard this one… “Democracy as we know it has ended.”

With both Canada and the U.S. having Federal elections in the past year, how will these effect the job landscape? What industries will be impacted favourably? Which ones will it hurt?

No matter who got elected you’re probably either ecstatic or deeply unsatisfied.

My point here isn’t to dive into a political rant. However, when the political and economic landscape feels unfavourable, this can offer insight into how we frame our career and earning potential.

Over the course of a lifetime of politics, things will consistently be swinging back and forth. Sometimes in your favour and at times seemingly against you.

Yes, society can always completely corrupt and descend into tyranny. I’m not denying that it’s important to stand up and speak against this.

But… every generation has had their version of “the apocalypse is coming and history as we know it is over.” The reality is that there has never been a completely certain time in history.

And you could say we all experience the ultimate apocalypse when this temporary ride eventually comes to an end. At the end of the day, we only choose what we focus our energy on and how we use the time we’ve got.

It’s far to easy for us to place the blame for our lack of earning opportunities on what’s going on politically, while giving ourselves a free pass on the repeated and ongoing decisions we don’t take advantage of.

So…

Have you been allowing politics to be a distraction and an excuse?

The mark of true career success is in being sovereign and accountable ultimately to yourself. This goes far beyond politics. It’s way to easy to fall into a victim mentality. Something else can always be to blame when life hasn’t done us right. It could be our age, the weather, the economy, our family and the list goes on.

There will always be barriers that will confine us to some extent. But as soon as you allow them to make you jaded and resentful, your career is no longer a tool to pursue freedom.

It has become the bars of imprisonment.

Refocusing during unfavourable times

During unstable or unfavourable periods, this is the opportunity to reassess your priorities in your career.

It’s a time to ask yourself:

Am I really doing what I want in life?

Have I indulged too much and neglected saving?

Did I wrongfully assume everything would stay the same forever?

We saw a lot of this during the instability during the Covid years. If you couldn’t work, you were forced to decide if you even liked your job anyways. Many people pivoted to different industries, went back to school, etc. Others descended into misery and still haven’t recovered.

If you truly love what you do and the political powers seem to be gutting the economy, this is an opportunity to really do the deep work. Can you diversify your skillset? Can you become more resilient? Can you become undeniable at what you do?

Lay the foundation outside of your professional life. Get your health in order. Spend time with your family. Focus on better thoughts.

But...

Never let any out of touch bureaucrat have the gratification of thinking they have taken away what you love to do!

History is littered with societies that willingly gave away freedom of opportunity in exchange for oppression. Why? Because it can give an individual plausible deniability for the choices they didn’t want to make. It allows someone else to be at fault.

The state of outside political forces may appear to have a strong impact on what we can do. However, those who seek to rule and control through policy rarely can match the gravity you radiate when on a path of passion and purpose. Those with impure intentions will inevitably be outshined in the long run against those whose are.

Allow the momentum of your career actions to speak so loudly that they make any outside noise irrelevant.

And…

Be patient. With a long-term vision, the tides will eventually change, and you will be better off for weathering the storm.

The true impact of your livelihood is not subject to the current state of political affairs. Its impact is felt much closer to home. It’s how work effects our relationships with our friends and family, the person we are at home and the hobbies and pursuits that we engage in. Politics can only erode our lives when we decide not to care anymore. When we give up and say, “what’s the point?”

If we don’t do that, the future can always offer hope for empowering, income earning possibilities.

In the turmoil of uncertainty, new unforeseen opportunities may even arise.