Do you want to have an answer to the “What do you do?” question that’s as powerful as that one?

If you do, you can start by asking yourself the question: “what am I on this earth to do right now?”

Give the question some time to percolate in your brain, and then grab paper and pen to start capturing the ideas and language that come to mind for you.

Or, if your brain feels slower than a semi truck with completely flat tires trying to deliver a shipment of molasses, you’re not alone -- and you probably should listen to today’s podcast episode.

Today’s guest, Maxie McCoy, uses this very question to shape how she introduces herself and explains her work. She’s a career inspiration expert who focuses on helping you tap into your own confidence and gifts to go kick some serious butt in the world.

Maxie has confidently navigated quite a few twists and turns along her professional path: going from college athletics to broadcast journalism, to growing one of the highest traffic women’s career and personal finance sites, to launching her own business as a writer, speaker and inspiration to create a life you’re jazzed about living.

We’re busting all the myths about confidence and giving you tactical tips on how to develop stronger self-belief today on the podcast with Maxie McCoy.

Listen to today’s episode to hear her guidance on…:

• The strategic relationship building tactics she used to get a position at ESPN
• Trusting your gut and make a career move that’s off the “planned” path
• How to avoid living like you’re in a disaster or crisis (even when it might feel like it)
• Cultivating the confidence to put yourself in positions to have serendipity start happening for you

Today’s episode is like a shot of confidence adrenaline right in your arm.

It’s powerful stuff, especially if you choose to follow the steps we outline in the blog post and downloadable worksheet.

One thing I’ve noticed after coaching for years is that the way you do one thing in your life is usually a sign of how you do everything.

Let me explain: if you put perfectionistic pressure on yourself to pick out your one right career path, you might also put that pressure on yourself to find your perfect, flawless (unicorn) romantic partner, to be the perfect friend, or improve your fitness by being perfect when you work out. (Maybe something super technical and detail-oriented like ballet or Olympic weightlifting...if you can get over your fears of not being perfect so that you can even start!)

Or if you’re afraid of losing out on options in your life, you might be too scared to commit to one career path or job, so you stay stuck in one you don’t like, because unhappiness feels safer than uncertainty of taking away future possibilities. You might be the one who goes out on dates with a ton of people but never wants to initiate the DTR (define-the-relationship) conversation and end up tied down. Or you might be the person who wants to eat at every new restaurant as soon as it opens, so you’ll know all the different culinary options that your city provides.  

The way you do things isn’t necessarily a bad thing -- in fact, it can be a secret hint about your strengths hiding in your personality and habits.   

You can see this secret strength concept beautifully illustrated in today’s podcast with Angela Wagner. The way Angela does work the the way Angela does life is an example of who she is. She started out her career in the high-powered advertising world, but was seeking to feel grounded outside of work, so she started working at a gym on the side.

Her decision to lean into opportunities that helped her stay active while relieving stress led her to creating community through becoming a yoga teacher...which led her to creating her own yoga studio...which led her to her getting training in yoga life coaching

Creating community for individuals ready to put down their baggage and seek soulful stress relief is Angela’s through-line. It’s how (and WHY) she does everything.

Have you ever heard of Soccer Tots?

In 2011 I hadn’t either.

It’s where you take little kids and they jump through hula hoops, run around cones, occasionally kick a soccer ball and sort of attempt to listen to their frazzled looking teacher. (Think; Pre Soccer)

I was supposed to leave midday on a flight for work and it didn’t make sense for me to go to the office so Alyssa suggested that I come watch Soccer tots.

I showed up at 10am in the middle of the day, not at all knowing what to expect.

One of my kids kicked a goal in the cones that were set up over 20 feet wide which made it nearly impossible for them to miss

He turned and saw that I was there in the room and started shrieking with excitement!

“Daddy did you see me get a goal” (He looked so happy!)

It was right then that I realized I HAD to figure out a way to be able to have the flexibility in my work to be able to be around.

NOT just for the big things in life (school musicals, family birthdays and weddings), but also the little things too!

I hadn’t realized what I was missing out on.

After that I became fascinated by the possibility of working remotely.

That was years ago and since then I’ve negotiated flexible and remote work for myself and helped many other people get jobs or change careers that allow them to work remotely!

We’ve had a lot of people come to us in the last few years that are also interested in doing the exact same thing.

For this reason we brought on Adda Birnir, the CEO of SkillCrush.com, to discuss remote work on the podcast. Not only does her company work entirely remotely but also they teach people (especially women) to code (which is one profession that is incredibly flexible)

If you want to learn how to make remote work possible for you check out this blog post and the podcast here!

On the podcast today, we talked about…

• What it’s like to work in a remote workforce
• The lack of diversity and representation in the tech industry
• How couples negotiate the dynamic between career and relationship
• The factors that set up a remote team for success...or disaster
• Adda’s favorite secret vacation spot in Iceland

(We covered a lot of ground.)

Plus in this blog post we go through step by step the process we use to help clients get to remote and flexible work in their current jobs OR new careers!

So, true story: almost everyone on my team here at Happen to Your Career is an introvert.

(Myself included!)

Which is kind of surprising for a company that teaches people all about how to use relationship-building and presentation skills to create new opportunities in your professional life, right?

Well, contrary to popular belief, we introverts aren’t completely socially anxious and hiding ourselves away in a closet somewhere. (Most of the time.)

We (and I’m sure you, or people you know) have learned the skills to gracefully survive in a socially-oriented world while still creating space for our “me” time.

But one of the things that can feel the hardest for introverts is also one of the ones that makes conversations the most fulfilling.

The vulnerability of putting yourself out there (whether you’re an introvert or extravert) is part of what creates deep, meaningful, awesome connection.

And connection is why we’re all here, isn’t it?

If you agree, you’re going to love this week’s podcast on vulnerability and how to connect with anyone with AJ Harbinger of The Art of Charm.

I think this episode has the most value per minute of any podcast I’ve ever recorded, so if you are a person who loves self-development and wants to be a better conversationalist, you’ve gotta take a listen.

I consider myself to be pretty good at striking up conversations, and I found myself taking tons of mental notes.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to use vulnerability as your stealth superpower
• The 3 phases of connection: an analytical framework for creating emotional interaction (yes, really)
• How your past, present and future create the stories we tell ourselves -- and share with the world

Ever thought about becoming a coach? If so, press play immediately on this episode where Scott Barlow welcomes back Marc Mawhinney, the founder of Natural Born Coaches program and podcast, where he helps coaches create real, profitable (and real profitable!) businesses.

On this episode, you’ll learn how Marc got into coaching (and the books that have been his biggest inspiration), how building a business is a bit like being a modern-day caveman, how to ensure you’re not getting paid in meatballs, and how to know when (or if) you need a coaching certification.

Being in love with the dream of calling yourself a coach can be very different from truly having a passion for the day-to-day life of being one.

For example, how much do you enjoy sales conversations? Working for yourself is an eat-what-you-kill kind of job, so you’re going to spend time bringing in coaching clients so you can keep the lights on and pay the bills.

And, how much time out of your week would you estimate you’ll be on the phone with coaching clients? Whatever you’re guessing, guess again and listen to Marc to hear about what it was like for him (and for Scott) in building their coaching businesses.

Karenina Jahnigen

Writing like a Pro in the business world seems like a huge undertaking that is easier said than done.

Luckily, we have Danny H. Rubin as our guest today.

Danny Rubin is “THE writing guy.” Danny has studied communications since college and has worked as a TV News Reporter and Consultant and has come back around to what he loves most, which is writing. He uses his greatest strength to teach practical writing instruction for the business world. From writing to apply for jobs to writing to start a business from scratch, Danny offers his writing advice as the writing expert in the business world.

One of the key takeaways from the episode is viewing the job search as an expectations game where employers are going to expect you to do X, but you’re going to learn how to do Y.

Why, you ask? Well, while everyone else is doing X, you’re going to put that little bit of extra effort it takes to do Y. This is your opportunity to do something another way to stand out from the crowd of job-seekers.

All Y is, is a change in the way that you think about what you’re writing. We have all been so conditioned to write a resume and cover letter the same way. So, a hiring manager is going to expect that same template from every candidate.

But, Danny is here to walk you through a process that will show you how to go about writing those pieces in a smarter, more strategic way.

You will see more results when you know how to be interesting when describing yourself in your stories. Your writing should highlight details of your experience that will enhance your overall platform.

Listen to the podcast to learn more about the power of telling YOUR story of success in your cover letter. Danny will help you learn how to write to command attention, prove your ability, and leave a lasting impression on the reader.

What You Will Learn

• The importance of brevity – Why keeping your writing short and concise is imperative in business communications
• The importance of writing differently and how to stand out in your writing to get noticed and open doors
• How to write a powerful Linkedin Profile
• How to apply for a job when a company isn’t even hiring

Are you the kind of person who wants a job that aligns with what you value or what you’re interested in? Or better yet, do you want to feel like you’re meant to do work that has the ability to leave the world a little bit better, and makes you feel fulfilled?

As high performers, people like you and I are always looking for ways to improve ourselves and our situations. We want to take what we’ve got, maximize it to its full potential, and follow our life’s purpose.

That’s why I’m excited to share Jessica Williams’ story with you today as my guest on the podcast.

Jessica is the founder of the company called The Superwoman Project that does everything from writing, speaking, and coaching to support the advancement of women into positions of power within their careers.

It took her a little bit of adventuring -- and a lotta bit of reflection -- to answer the questions of what she was meant to being doing and how she could make a more meaningful impact with her work.

In the episode, she shares how she discovered her passion and calling to guide women through their professional development.

Whether you are in the midst of following your calling or have no idea what it is yet, take a listen to today’s episode, How to Find Your Career Calling and Own Your Purpose with Jessica Williams. We’ll get into:

• The step-by-step process to figure out “your calling”
• Actions to take to become clear in the direction of your career and own your path
• Tactical tips on how to transition out of a job to pursue your deeper career calling

If you’re ready to align your career with your life’s purpose, don’t miss this episode.