Death, taxes and change it has been said, are the only constants in life.

If you want a portfolio career you need to be prepared for change.

Possibly big changes.

"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." 

- Charles Darwin

Sometimes change can be forced upon us, opening our eyes to what we are capable of.

Think of all the things that you can do now that you were not able to four years ago:

• I am reasonably confident you can seamlessly schedule, chair and/or participate in an online Zoom or Google Meet meeting with ease.

• You have probably learnt online networking skills

• Possibly learnt how to set up an ergonomically-sound home office

• Become a home-schooler extraordinaire

• Devised ingenious ways to stay fit without going to the gym (I have a friend who used milk bottles* and a yoga mat)

• Very likely you have learnt how to bake sourdough.

• Your home cooking recipe repertoire probably expanded substantially.

• You have most likely delved more deeply into self-reflection, bringing you to a deeper understanding of your core values and aspirations

• And possibly you have become more aware of the importance of social connections having navigated through isolation and uncertainty.

You have already navigated massive changes and negotiated personal growth – you are not entirely the same person you were pre-pandemic.

We could do an entire series of posts on how to embrace change but here are a few starter thoughts on supporting yourself in navigating the world of portfolio careers.

1 Reframe Your Mindset

Change is often scary because it pushes us into the unknown. Most humans like certainty. But reframing our mindset to see change as an opportunity for growth rather than something to be feared can profoundly affect how we experience it.

A growth mindset is defined as being open to learning, adapting, and evolving. As a portfolio careerist, you will need to constantly embrace change and seek out new opportunities for growth and development.

Ways in which you can develop a growth mindset include:

• Seeking out feedback and constructive criticism to continually improve your skills. Being open to feedback and constructive criticism from clients, peers, coaches, and mentors means they can help you identify areas for improvement and continuously strive for excellence in your work.

• Being curious and constantly seeking new knowledge and experiences. Educate yourself through reading, attending workshops or courses, and speaking with others in your industry. This will not only keep you up to date on industry trends but also give you new perspectives and ideas for your work. For example using AI for imaging if you are a designer may open up greater possibilities in terms of the extent and type of projects you can take on and creating new aspects of your portfolio. Perhaps you always did corporate branding but now you can illustrate that children’s book you always wanted to write.

• Being open to trying new things, even if they may feel uncomfortable at first. If you can step outside of your comfort zone and take on challenges you will be a step ahead of the average person.  This could involve trying out a new skill or taking on a project in a different industry.

Look at change as a gateway to new beginnings and adventures. This doesn't remove the challenges, but it gives you a more positive and hopeful outlook.

"Change your thoughts and you change your world." 

- Norman Vincent Peale

2 Educate Yourself

Fear stems from the unknown, and education is the antidote to fear. If you are transitioning into a new role or a new business venture as part of your new portfolio career, take the time to learn about this new ‘gig.’ Knowledge will empower you to make informed decisions and approach change with confidence.

3 Embrace Your Mistakes

A growth mindset involves learning and improving from our mistakes. When faced with change, it is common to make mistakes or encounter setbacks. Instead of dwelling on them, accept that it is human to make mistakes, and every successful person has made them – so see them as opportunities for growth and improvement in the areas you are working on. 

I had this quote inside the cover of my journal when I was nineteen, trying desperately to embrace law studies at University with a smile. I had met wonderful friends doing Arts Law in my first year of Arts and it was a combination of “peer group admiration” (rather than pressure), and parental encouragement that led me into the hallowed halls of Melbourne Law.

However, I subsequently left law as my heart was never really in it though I met some wonderful people I am lucky enough to still call friends. 

4 Embrace Flexibility

In a world that is constantly evolving, being flexible is crucial. The ability to adapt and adjust to new situations allows us to navigate through change more effectively. It also opens up opportunities we may have never considered before approaches. This can also help you find creative solutions to challenges that arise during change (remember the milk bottles!)

“As the world becomes more interconnected, scaling the efficient execution of processes is becoming less important than the ability to adapt to changing market conditions and drive new value. This ability, which is closely tied to entrepreneurship and innovation, depends less on training workers in specific technical skills than on cultivating curiosity and other human capabilities that allow people to respond to changing conditions and imagine different futures”.

https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/focus/human-capital-trends.html#what-do-organizations-need-most-in-a-disrupted

5 Lean on Your Support System

Even the most independent among us can benefit from support during times of change. Change can seem overwhelming, and having a support system can make all the difference. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and are there to offer guidance and encouragement when needed. A career coach is fantastic for this because of their specialised experience, but don't discount family and friends and work mentors too 

6 Start Small

Set short-term goals and celebrate each milestone along the way. This will give you a sense of accomplishment and motivation to keep going. Overwhelm can happen when facing a significant change, so start with small steps. Break down the process into manageable tasks, and you'll find the larger goal becomes less intimidating.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."

 - Lao Tzu

7 Focus on What You Can Control

It’s easy to get caught up in the aspects of change that are out of your hands. Instead, focus on what you can control—your attitude, your effort, your openness to learn—and you’ll find yourself better equipped to handle change. When starting new ventures a myriad of things are bound to arise – technology that fails, a marketing idea that flops, a client who makes a complaint. Do what is within your power to avoid this in the future (better quality equipment or  a good tech person on call, sound marketing advice, better customer systems).

This was another favourite quote of mine in my twenties:

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." 

-  Reinhold Neubhar

8 Practice Resilience

A key component of adapting to change is resilience—the ability to recover quickly from difficulties. Building resilience can be as simple as maintaining a positive outlook, setting realistic expectations, and treating failures as learning opportunities. All the things we have looked at here.

According to a New York Times article, during the height of the pandemic, many people discovered they were more resilient than they had thought.

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." 

- Winston S. Churchill

We'll leave you with a final question to ponder:

"What if I told you that 10 years from now, your life would be exactly the same? I doubt you'd be happy. 

So, why are you so afraid of change?" 

- Karen Salmansohn

Tell us in the comments what you have found useful to embrace change, or what challenges you're currently facing.

By sharing our thoughts (and contrary opinions as we welcome debate) we can build a community that supports each other.

*for those curious, he filled them with water and used them as weights!

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