Saving my mid-life crisis with career coaching #midlifecrisis #millennials

Key Concepts:

• Burnout (overwork, dislike of work)
• Motivated Skills (skills you enjoy and are good at)
• Burnout Skills (skills you are proficient in but dislike)
• Career Coaching (structured framework for career planning)
• People Development (coaching and facilitating career development)
• System Thinking (analyzing and understanding complex systems)
• Performance Focus (emphasis on achieving specific outcomes)
• Personal Fulfillment (achieving a sustainable and happy way of living)

1. Identifying Burnout and Its Causes:

• The speaker expresses a lifelong experience of burnout, questioning their long-term career as an illustrator.
• Burnout is attributed to two primary causes: overwork (experienced at a trading card game company) and performing work that is disliked (experienced at a video agency).
• The speaker mentions starting an American trading card game company and later working at a video agency before deciding to pursue their own ventures.

2. Motivated Skills vs. Burnout Skills:

• The speaker uses a deck of cards to help individuals identify their "motivated skills" and "burnout skills."
• Motivated Skills: Defined as skills that one enjoys using and is proficient in.
• Burnout Skills: Defined as skills that one is highly proficient in but dislikes using.
• The program aims to address the issue of burnout by helping individuals understand their skills and preferences.

3. Career Coaching and People Development:

• The speaker finds fulfillment in education, specifically teaching adjunct at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA).
• Career coaching provides a structured framework for individuals to plan for better career health.
• People development, defined as coaching others and facilitating their career development, is identified as an energizing activity for the speaker.
• System thinking and performance focus are identified as potentially draining activities.

4. Exploring Teaching Options and Further Education:

• The speaker values the ability to add value during discussions with students at NAFA.
• The speaker expresses interest in exploring other teaching options, specifically teaching degree students.
• A barrier to teaching degree students is the requirement of a master's degree, which the speaker currently lacks.
• The high cost of pursuing a master's degree in Singapore is a significant consideration.
• The speaker considers the pros and cons of pursuing a master's degree, acknowledging potential bias and focusing on short-term cons.

5. Addressing Procrastination and Personal Identity:

• The speaker mentions procrastinating on writing a "big bad script" that is important as an expression of their identity as an artist.
• The reason for the hesitation in writing the script is left as a point for introspection.

6. Introspection and Personal Sacrifice:

• The career coach emphasizes the importance of introspection and examining one's life from a broader perspective.
• The speaker acknowledges having sacrificed themselves and their personal dreams.

7. Seeking a Sustainable and Fulfilling Lifestyle:

• The ultimate goal is to achieve a sustainable way of living that is both fulfilling and happy.

8. Notable Quotes:

• "I've been burned out my entire life."
• "Some of the moments that I find fulfilling in life is strangely in education."
• "What I have sacrificed is myself and my own personal dreams."
• "Ultimately I want to come out with a sustainable way of living that is fulfilling and happy for myself."

Synthesis/Conclusion:

The speaker is on a journey to understand and address their lifelong experience of burnout. They are exploring career coaching and people development as potential avenues for personal fulfillment. The process involves identifying motivated skills versus burnout skills, considering further education, and addressing personal sacrifices to achieve a sustainable and fulfilling lifestyle. Introspection and self-awareness are key components of this journey.