Well had lunch with a friend today, and it was great to chat with someone who understands the pains of being in the sciences right now. We were both grad students at the same time, but since graduation our lives have gone different directions, and while we’re both dealing with the hands that life has dealt us–I have to admit, I’ll stick with my hand that has been dealt.

So I decided that since May is right around the corner, I needed to find some motivational sayings/quotes to try to give me the extra push needed to really start up the job searching again and to get back on track with the personal and professional development. Therefore I’ve picked several different sayings that will hopefully push me to creep out of my comfort zone and go for the type of job position that I want.

The first is a saying that is at least contributed to John Rockefeller. This is striking a cord with me, because with the job search this is one of the things that I’ve been worried about–am I going to be settling for a job because I’m scared to go for another one that is more interesting or challenging? Currently I’m thinking of going for research positions, that while they’re in my comfort zone–they would let me get into industry and I might be able to change paths once I’ve got my foot in the door.

This one speaks to me in knowing that as long as I put in consistent (and positive) effort–my dreams can come true. The main thing is to focus on the good dreams and aim to achieve them. On my vision board I have the saying “get into the best shape of my life” along with guide book for hiking the Grand Canyon–something that I have on my bucket list. I know that I have to get my nutrition dialed in and my fitness back on track and I can get into the best shape of my life (while nutrition wasn’t 100% today–I did have my shakeology for dinner instead the grilled sausage links).

So out of all those metaphorical ships that are cruising around the oceans and docking for people–I know that mine is out there somewhere, but I think it’s cloaked in a pea-soup fog, waiting for me to determine my path. Once the path is determined, if the ship doesn’t make it to port, then I’ll swim out to meet it.

This particular saying almost reminds me of Yoda from Star Wars: “Do or do not, there is no try”. This is something else that I need to work on reminding myself that “failure is just an learning experience”. I know that not every interview is going to go great, and that things will mess up on the job, and in life. I know that I can’t “fail” at my job search–either I manage to find something in industry, or I don’t; and if I don’t I will have to determine the new alternative job strategy.

The final motivational saying–basically is to remind me that I need to start going a little outside my comfort zone to be able to live life to the fullest. Does this mean that I will overcome some of my major issues??  Probably not, but I know that staying within my comfort zone is equal to “an ordinary life”–stepping out side that a little, will make it my “new” ordinary–which may not be extraordinary but will be different from what it is now.

So to sum it up, I know that I need to start edging out of my comfort zone (and will be doing this through networking), and reminding myself that staying where I’m at isn’t an option for much longer, and that there is something bigger out there for me, I just have to go and track it down.