🤸 Shaking out the “sand,” Amazon’s work backwards approach, & wisdom from Ted Lasso

Hey — it’s Cristina & Jenni.

This week we’re discussing:

• the importance of recognizing and challenging self-imposed limitations in order to pursue fulfilling career paths 💭 

• how to work backwards and other powerful lessons from working at Amazon ◀️ 

• why we should always lead with curiosity vs. judgment 🤔 

Exciting event alert 🥳

Cristina is teaming up with Alexandra, Head of Marketing at Disguise and member of the LIP community to run a “2024 Career Growth Strategy” workshop.

It's happening on December 4th at 6 pm BST/1 pm EST. If you’re ready for more career fulfillment in 2024 and today’s newsletter resonates, take the next step and join us in this interactive and tactical workshop. Check out this link to learn more and register.

What we’re reflecting on this week

How long have you been walking with the discomfort of sand in your shoes?

And by “sand,” I'm referring to that persistent, uneasy feeling that comes from dreams and goals you've yet to achieve – the ones that follow you home from work every day.

This was the reality for Reshma Saujani, the founder and CEO of Girls Who Code.

Fresh out of law school, she had a clear ambition: run for office.

She stepped onto the expected path, taking a job at a law firm, and told herself it was just for now until she’d eventually go into politics.

But, as often is the case with “temporary” plans, they have a sneaky way of becoming permanent.

Fast forward 10 years and Reshma was still at the firm, her dream collecting dust, as she carried what she thought were her “responsibilities.”

Until one day, when she hit rock bottom, a simple suggestion from a friend became the reset button on her life: "Just quit."

That's all it took for her to start writing her own rules.

Reshma quit her job and ran for Congress, didn't win, but didn't lose either... She soon started Girls Who Code and changed the game not just for herself, but for a whole generation of girls.

Think about it.

If Reshma hadn't shaken out that “sand,” the tech world would have missed out on her contributions, and many dreams might never have been realized.

We ALL have those moments when we doubt if we're ready or qualified enough.

But building a fulfilling career is about challenging that voice and putting in the work to prove it wrong.

As we head into 2024, take a moment to examine the beliefs that shape your professional life: are they protecting you or just blocking you from the job or life you really want?

Here’s how you can start to "shake out the sand":

Step 1: Identify a limiting belief

• Find a thought that’s holding you back. For example, “Changing careers now is too risky”, “I’m not qualified for that role”, “I’m not ready to ask for a raise.”

Step 2: Challenge the belief

• Question its truth. Ask yourself: “Is this belief based on facts? What proof do I have?"

Step 3: Create an empowering belief

• Flip the script. For example, say, “I have the skills needed to pivot my career, and I’m ready to learn and grow in new areas.”

Step 4: Visualize your future

• Imagine where you want to be one year from now. Consider if your current path aligns with that vision. What steps can you start taking to head in the direction you desire?

→ What “sand” needs shaking out in your career path? What beliefs have been holding you back, and how can you reframe them to start moving towards your goals?

We’d love to support you in the process so reply to this email with any beliefs you want to challenge - let's shake out that sand together!

What we’re learning this week

• 🎙️ Podcast: Former Amazon exec discusses the practices that catapulted Amazon to the top - Bill Carr, co-author of "Working Backwards," shares the art of working in reverse, how to organize teams, the input vs. output metric system, and the power of “disagree and commit.” It's a masterclass in Amazon's innovation playbook.

• 📝 LI post: 7 questions to change the way you show up and lead - Inspired by “The Coaching Habit,” Cristina shares how to go from talking to truly engaging. Great if you want to build your coaching toolkit.

• 🧵 X thread: The 7 most exciting features from ChatGPT Turbo 4 release - ChatGPT Turbo 4 just rolled out, and it's packed with features that streamline how we interact with AI and empower us non-technical folks to create our own GPTs - in less than 4 minutes 🤯. Check out this thread to learn more and hear from Sam Altman himself walking through the features.

What we’re enjoying this week

Continuing with our theme of limiting beliefs (about both ourselves and others), here’s one of our favorite clips from Ted Lasso - never gets old!

That’s it for this week — thanks for reading.

See you next Thursday! 🤸‍♀️