Donald Thompson: How to reinvent yourself and pivot your career

Editor’s note: Veteran entrepreneur and investor Donald Thompson is a regular contributor to WRAL TechWire. His posts appear on Wednesdays.

RALEIGH – Life is certainly strange right now. Mixed with the strain of a global pandemic, racial unrest, a recession and a presidential election are the everyday stressors of your regular life: your family, commitments, bills and plans for the future. That cumulative weight is a lot to bear. But in the midst of this unprecedented year, what I am hearing from so many of my friends and colleagues is a hopeful, energetic view of the future.

Many of the professionals I know have taken this time to study their own happiness and direction. They feel inspired to make big changes and put their careers on different, more satisfying tracks. If you’re considering a pivot too, here’s my best advice for pushing forward through the stress and uncertainty of this year to keep achieving what you want from life.

Things are not as complicated as you think.

With today’s technology, you can learn absolutely anything. Information is more available and experts are more easily accessible than they have ever been before. Take advantage of that openness by doing your research. No matter what job you want to have, there are thousands of articles, videos, white papers and podcasts ready and waiting to help you get there.

Use LinkedIn to connect with like-minded professionals and people you admire. Consider what you have to give and gain from those relationships. Most successful executives are happy to share a cup of coffee or a virtual meeting with people they know are pushing toward transformations. If you can’t find a mentor, reach out to me online. I’m happy to help connect you with someone I know in the field.

Be a curious and eager learner.

Read everything you can get your hands on. Find people who are willing to teach you and tell them what you want to learn. In most cases, you will not need a professional certification or academic degree to begin your new career. A healthy dose of curiosity and an entrepreneurial, bootstrapping mentality are enough to get started. Go ahead and take the first steps to learn new skills and build your knowledge base. If you realize you need traditional education, just cross that bridge when you get there.

Go for the side hustle.

My number one advice for people who want to pivot their careers is to start a small business on the side. Do some freelance work, engage in a training program or volunteer your time to build the skills that you will need to be successful in your new career. Try things that you are interested in to see if that could become a sustainable passion. A strong interest can get you started, but only real passion will keep you moving forward.

Side hustles let you try something new without risking your baseline income. Along the way, you’ll also learn what it takes to build success. You’ll learn if your idea has market viability and, if not, how you can pivot your model to make it stronger and more successful. If your side hustle is freelance or consultancy, pay attention to the gaps in your skill set, then start to fill them in.

Don’t be afraid to look silly.

Every great success that I have had in my life came on the heels of a thousand small failures. Mistakes are an inevitable part of the learning process; they mean that you are learning and growing. It’s ok if you don’t understand; it’s ok if you aren’t good at it yet; and it’s ok if you feel like the dumbest person in the room.

If you want to grow, you have to be willing to admit what you don’t know. You might be embarrassed or intimidated at first, but with practice you’ll get stronger, faster and more proficient. Embracing curiosity and humility will help you look beyond the small failures to concentrate on the goal. You will not be successful every day, but you will make progress. Remember that today’s failure can be tomorrow’s strength.

If you are afraid, do it anyway!

Maybe it’s cliche to think this, but I really believe in the value and power of big, bold dreams. If your dreams are bigger than your fears, it’s easier to focus on the win. It’s easier to concentrate and keep pushing forward, no matter what obstacles might get in the way. Clearly-defined, measurable goals are always more achievable, so take the time to name what you want from the future, build an action plan and face your fears head-on.

With the right attitude, you can pivot your career and reinvent yourself to take hold of the future. Give yourself permission to dream big and make mistakes. Remember that the risk is never as big as it seems at first and a healthy dose of curiosity will go a long way to help you get started.

About the Author

Donald Thompson began his career in sales and technology and first became a CEO at age 36. Donald is now CEO of Walk West, a digital marketing firm, and co-founder of The Diversity Movement, a technology driven diversity, equity and inclusion consultancy. He is a board member for several organizations in technology, marketing, sports and entertainment, a Certified Diversity Executive (CDE), and a thought leader on goal achievement and influencing company culture. He digs deeper into this topic on a recent episode of The Donald Thompson Podcast.

You can connect with Donald through LinkedIn or his website at donaldthompson.com