The right risks to take for a great career (w/ Molly Graham)
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What does it take to build a great career in today's environment?
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We've all been there, feeling stuck with a problem because no one in our life can relate or because the one person we need to talk to won't or can't. That's where Proxy comes in.
How can taking risks lead to a more fulfilling career?
Proxy is a podcast that believes no one is ever completely alone with their problem because somewhere out there is someone who gets it. Maybe they've even experienced the exact same thing as you. On Proxy, Yo-Wei Sha, former co-host of Invisibilia, scours the world for that perfect stranger for you to talk to and help you get less stuck. Plus, we just had Yo-Wei on our show, so if you enjoyed the episode featuring her, I think you're going to love her podcast. Proxy is a podcast that constantly surprises. You've got your thorny, impossible-to-solve cases of heartbreak or family discord, but then also these funny, weird little problems like the woman whose internal narrator never stops talking. Subscribe to Proxy wherever you get your podcasts.
New cases every other Tuesday. This is How to Be a Better Human. I'm your host, Chris Duffy. Today on the show, our guest is Molly Graham. And Molly is, among many other things, a very successful business person, a writer, and the new host of Ted's Work Life podcast. So we're going to be talking to her about how the rules for building a great career have evolved and what it takes to navigate this new work landscape. You know, when I was searching for my first job, I really, really, really wanted to write for a newspaper. I was positive that I wanted to be a traditional newspaper journalist. But then everywhere I applied, They were cutting positions rather than hiring. I couldn't get a job and I needed a job that would let me pay my bills.
So I just started applying for anything and everything. And I ended up getting a position teaching English abroad.
What is the 'stairs' concept in career progression?
And then I got a job teaching at an elementary school in Boston. And I could never, ever, ever have predicted that starting there would lead me to be here hosting this podcast and talking to you right now. In fact, one of the biggest lessons that I've learned, maybe the only career lesson that I feel totally confident standing behind is that you cannot predict how things will turn out. Like it or not, you are going to be surprised. So how do you help people to figure out how to navigate a career path if you can't possibly know what's coming next? Well, that is exactly the kind of challenge that Molly lives for. To get us started, here's a clip from Molly's TED Talk where she's addressing one of the biggest misconceptions that people have about their jobs and their career choices.
Here's Molly.
There's a lot of pressure around what it takes to build a great career. And it all comes back to this idea that you're supposed to know what you want to do. It's an idea that I like to call the stairs. Here's how the stairs go. You show up in college, and you're supposed to know what you want to major in. That major is supposed to lead you to your first job. And then you get another job, and you get promoted and promoted and promoted forever. The best part about the stairs is safety and security. It feels like you know what you need to do to get ahead. The worst part of the stairs is that it's like a weird video game that you can get stuck inside of for years. The stairs will make you feel like your self-worth is tied to your title.
or your last performance rating, or your next promotion.
How can we redefine success beyond traditional metrics?
But the truth is that the stairs are an illusion. These days, excellent careers are not built by excellent stair climbers.
Okay, we're going to figure out how to get off the stairs and into a great job or a great series of jobs right after this break.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What does it take to build a great career in today's environment?
0:00–0:41
2
How can taking risks lead to a more fulfilling career?
0:41–2:10
3
What is the 'stairs' concept in career progression?
2:10–3:51
4
How can we redefine success beyond traditional metrics?
3:51–5:35
5
What is the J curve and how does it apply to career changes?
5:35–7:05
6
How do financial fears influence career decisions?
7:05–9:03
7
What strategies can help navigate career transitions effectively?
9:03–9:57
8
How can we find happiness and meaning in our work?
9:57–45:36
Speakers
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