Career Paralysis - Five Reasons Why Our Brains Get Stuck Making Career Decisions

Career Paralysis: The Five Reasons Why Our Brains Get ‘Headstuck’ When Making Career Decisions New 2012 version!

Is this you?

Got a busy job ... a ‘good’ job .

Which you really should be grateful for...

But which you hate .

So you’re looking for a new job !

But not just any job !

You want a job that actually fulfils you . You want meaning .

Something you can look back on with pride.

(Big but) BUT

The jobs ads don’t inspire

You don’t want to lose your lifestyle

And you’re worried about stepping into the unknown.

Should you be taking more of a risk? You think to yourself...

If so, how big a risk ?

Isn’t it already too late ?

Some days you wonder where on earth your life is heading.

You feel like you’re losing touch with who you really are...

...and even the simplest decisions are starting to seem difficult.

If so, you are not alone ...

Nearly 70% of us do not feel engaged at work. Over half of us would start over if we felt we could.

...it’s our brains that are to blame. (They can’t cope). And it’s not our fault...

Let me explain... This is me. I’m Rob. I’m an Occupational Psychologist specialising in helping people get out of career paralysis . I work with people who feel like this at work.

Let me explain... This presentation explains why ‘career paralysis’ happens, and what you can do about it . So, where do we start? This is me. I’m Rob. I’m an Occupational Psychologist specialising in helping people get out of career paralysis .

“ Our brains evolved for a very different world from today. A world in which people lived in very small groups, rarely met anybody different from themselves, had short lives with few choices and where the highest priority was to eat and mate today.” Professor Dan Gilbert, TED Conference, December 2008

The point is, the kind of problems our brains evolved to solve

are very different to the kind of problems we face today. The point is, the kind of problems our brains evolved to solve

Career choice is a good example: In the Agricultural Age you did whatever your parents did. Baker, Taylor, Butcher, Smith. In fact, there was no such thing as ‘career choice.’

In the Industrial Age social mobility increased. But social mobility still depended on social class and education. So ‘career choice’ was only an issue for nice chaps like William and Rupert here. Top hole!

In the Information Age our choices expanded rapidly .

You’d be tested and then scientifically ‘ matched ’ by computer to... your ideal career ! Thankfully, computers came along to help.

This approach had two assumptions: a static work environment and a static self .

(Mind, you, what would I know? The computer told me I should have been a dental hygienist ) . Your Ideal career is: Dental Hygienist This approach had two assumptions: a static work environment and a static self .

...and the financial crisis is accentuating all of these trends.
the job for life almost dead
and the portfolio career on the rise .
People want meaning at work, not living for the weekend.
Jobs are being created in areas not even heard of 2 years ago.
The job market is volatile
But nothing is static any more.
More people than ever are starting their own business

So the good news is … historically speaking, career opportunities have never been greater. Most of us could be whoever we want to be .

But the bad news is... Our brains are not set up to deal with this new type of career decision.

We’re good at survival thinking

But less good when we need to choose between lots of options...

... or think anew about our lives and careers.

Understanding how our minds work is the most important factor in making better career decisions. What I’ve learned over the last 10 years:

Me = square peg Dental Hygienist = round hole

The Five Reasons Why Our Brains Get ‘Headstuck’ When Making Career Decisions

Too much choice overwhelms us 1

We usually think of choice as a good thing . 1 But Barry Schwartz showed that too much choice actually stresses us out.

It’s the ‘ Paradox of Choice ’. 1

The paradox of choice means decision making is more difficult . And when we do make decisions, we’re less happy with them. 1

Result: we feel overwhelmed by the options open to us and scared of the loss that comes with choice. ... And we always wonder what might have been ... 1

We’re negatively biased 2

Imagine one of your ancient ancestors sees a dark blob out in the distance... We evolved to think negatively . Is it a bear or a blueberry bush? 2

We evolved to think negatively . Is it a bear or a blueberry bush? An optimist might have seen a blueberry bush. If she was right she’d eat more of her 5-a-day for lunch than her pessimist friend. Our minds evolved with one priority: ‘ safety first ’. But if she was wrong... she’d be lunch! 2

Negative thoughts are 3 to 4 times ‘ stickier ’ than positive (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990) . Evidence : We need 5 positive comments to every negative for a happy marriage (Gottman, 2008) . We hate losing twice as much as we love winning (Kahneman & Tversky 1990 ) . We are psychologically inflexible . If we try not to think about something unpleasant – we think about it even more. (Hayes, 1990) . 2

So caution creeps in Result: We’re far more aware of our weaknesses than our strengths . 2

We prioritise the short term over the long term. 3

We think we make decisions reflecting our long term values… We think wrong. For example, a massive 90% of people support organ donation, but some countries have far higher organ donation rates than others. It’s because the countries on the right have on ‘opt out’ donation policy, whereas in countries on the left you have to ‘opt in’. So basically, no one bothers. Why?

OK, but what about professional decisions? One experiment asked Doctors what would happen if they read a patient’s case notes on the day of their operation and found ... 3

...that one important drug had not even been tried! What do you think the Doctors did – proceed with the operation, or stop the op to try the drug ? Important drug not even tried (drum roll...) Operation 3

Most stopped the op to try the drug. ...PHEW! 3

But what happened in the same scenario except where two different drugs had not been tried? 3

This time, most of the Doctors let the operation go ahead! Yet the only change was that the short term complexity of doing the ‘ right ’ thing had slightly increased ... 3

was offering 3 types of subscription : Here’s another example: 3 1. Online only 2. Print only 3. Online & print 1. Web only - $59 2. Print only - $125 3. Print & web only - $125

Most people went for the print AND online subscription. 84% 0% 16% And not surprisingly, no Economist reader chose the middle option . 1. Online only 2. Print only 3. Online & print 3 1. Web only - $59 2. Print only - $125 3. Print & web only - $125

1. Online only 3. Online & print So what did these rational people do when this option was removed ? 3 1. Web only - $59 2. Print only - $125 3. Print & web only - $125

1. Online only 3. Online & print 32% 68% Most changed their minds! 3 Conclusion: we tend to make decisions based on short term comparisons , not on what we actually value. 1. Web only - $59 2. Print only - $125 3. Print & web only - $125

So how does this relate to career decision making ? For a start, short terms comparisons mean we are highly influenced by what others do and say. But our short term bias also leads us into a trap ...( take a deep breath ). 3

1. Move away from things that cause us discomfort
Move away from:
Anxiety
Doubt
Insecurity
Eek! Motivation works in two directions: 3

2. Move towards things we value
Move towards:
Meaning
Freedom
Creativity
Woohoo! 3 Motivation works in two directions:

Away from discomfort Towards values Most people say they want to move this way in their career 3

Away from discomfort Towards values Yet when they do what usually shows up first is... discomfort ! 3 Eeek!

That’s right..! The short term result of moving towards our values is usually negative thoughts and uncomfortable emotions . So guess what most of us do next? Oh, the humanity! 3 Eeek!

Away from discomfort Towards values We Run Away . 3

Away from discomfort Towards values and when we do this brings us relief. 3 We are motivated to move away from discomfort Phew!

Away from discomfort Towards values But here it gets really messy... we avoid the things that make life worthwhile. If we make it a priority to avoid difficult emotions Away from discomfort x 3

Towards values But here it gets really messy... And if we do this consistently we eventually live a life without meaning. we avoid the things that make life worthwhile. If we make it a priority to avoid difficult emotions Away from discomfort ? 3

By prioritising happiness in the short term over things we really value in the long term Result:

By prioritising happiness in the short term over things we really value in the long term Result: we lose control over our lives.

Our brains think in linear patterns. 4

For example, here we see a triangle where none exists . Harmless enough? 4 Minds like making sense of things. They love certainty, stories and linear patterns.

Psychologist Karl Duncker gave participants a candle , a box of nails , and several other objects. He asked them to attach the candle to the wall . 4 How would you do it?

Very few of them thought of using the inside of the nail box as a candle-holder and nailing this to the wall. The participants were “fixated” on the box’s normal function of holding nails. Duncker found that participants tried to nail the candle directly to the wall or glue it to the wall by melting it. 4

In decision making, this is called ‘ functional fixedness ’. Functional fixedness has since been shown to apply to our own identities . 4 So what?

Result: Linear thinking leads to a feeling or belief that we can only do what we’ve always done. 4

We trust our minds to fix the problem. 5

Our minds are incredible ... That’s why we’ve left other species far behind. But we’ve seen our minds are far from infallible! Bad with choice Negatively biased Short term Functionally fixed Our minds evolved to scan the horizon for threats and anticipate problems. They’re interested in safety – not fulfilment or meaning! 5

“ I know what’s best for you!” Yet we often seem to forget this. Instead, we tend to automatically believe what our minds tell us. 5

“ I’m too tired to go for a run” For example, you come home knackered from work and you think... 5

Outcome : You don’t go for a run . You tend to believe your thoughts and behave as if they are ‘true’ . 5 “ I’m too tired to go for a run” Even though staying healthy might be a long term value... Even though tiredness does not physically prevent you from going for a run...

“ I’m too old to change career” This is known as cognitive fusion and it affects all areas of our lives. 5

“ There are no jobs anyway” 5 This is known as cognitive fusion and it affects all areas of our lives.

Although this presentation may be light-hearted, there is no doubt the depth of anxiety and confusion caused by career paralysis. I’ve certainly been there and bought the T-shirt.* We trust our minds to fix the problem, but when it doesn’t, we start to look for reasons why. We start to think it’s our fault – there’s something wrong with us! We look for a culprit, and often conclude that we need to try and ‘fix ourselves’ before we do anything else. * Disclaimer: I didn’t actually buy a T-shirt.

I used to tell myself: Secure Certain Assertive Confident Motivated Knowledgeableetc.... I can’t change career because first I need to feel more... 5

So I tried to ‘sort my head out’. Think more positively !

A lot of people think like this: “ Once I get rid of these nasty thoughts / feelings THEN I can act”.

But research has shown that trying to avoid negative thoughts and feelings…

… actually increases their intensity

and frequency.

By waiting for our minds to tell us we’re ‘ready’ to change career we get stuck. Result:

The 5 Cognitive Biases That Cause Career Paralysis: We prioritise the short term over the long term. We’re negatively biased. Too much choice overwhelms us. We think we can only do what we’ve always done. We trust our minds to fix the problem. 1 2 3 4 5

Career Paralysis: How to Get Unstuck And Find Your Direction So what now? Read Part 2... It’s full of practical tips, suggestions and free resources to get out of career paralysis. Please note! You may have to download this presentation and view in ‘slide show’ mode for the links to work. I’m sorry - I don’t make the rules you know.

Rob Archer is an Occupational Psychologist based in London. He offers coaching, training and assessment to help individuals and businesses get unstuck and make meaningful change. Get in touch: By e-mail Via LinkedIn READ my useful Career Change Blog MARVEL at my Website Go to part 2 of this presentation . Thank you for reading!

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Career Paralysis - Five Reasons Why Our Brains Get Stuck Making Career Decisions

by Rob Archer on Sep 04, 2010

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