Seasons of Your Career: Autumn

What is your current career season? You probably know right away. What’s really important is the awareness that our lives, our businesses, and our careers are cyclical. Nearly everyone goes through many cycles during a lifetime

I first learned about career seasons from Rick Jarow, author of Creating the Work You Love. When we’re feeling as though everything is dead, career-wise, it’s helpful to realize we are experiencing winter. Never fear, winter ends: spring is really coming! And if we pay attention to the season, we can realize what we need to do to prepare for what’s coming.

The blue skies, crisp weather and golden colors of October can be a special inspiration. Just as fall is a favorite season for many people, career autumn can be a happy time in your life. The leaves change from green to gold as the tree begins to offer the fruits of the last seasons. The bright fall colors signal a need to prepare for the quiet, dormant season that will soon follow.

Autumn is a way to say good-bye with thankfulness and joy. Farmers’ markets are rescuing the last apples before frost comes. We service air conditioners for winter and make sure we have heat. The cats forgive us for serving vet-approved cat crunchies instead of tuna fish and snuggle up for warmth. The dog offers to cut short her evening walk: it’s cold out there!