Doing What We Can with the Time That Is Given...

“Frodo: I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened...

Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

Today's episode marks the start of year TWO of Recruiting Hell.

In that time, we've seen the world plunge into a pandemic that is still raging in many countries today. If you are one of my international listeners, particularly those in India, my heart and thoughts are with you as you fight through this calamity that has been visited upon your nation.

Those of us in countries that are moving into the post-pandemic world are cautiously poking our heads out to see what the new normal is.

The question is, for many of us, "what's next?".

"What's next" is why I included the above quote. We've seen some terrible times in the world lately; when Frodo was visited with the task of taking the One Ring to Mt. Doom to save Middle Earth, he was placed into a situation entirely not of his own making.

His frustration is understandable, and even though he's a hobbit, tremendously normal and human.

Wise old Gandalf though, has the advice for this week.

We are all disappointed, sad, angry, hurt, and so many more emotions because of the way the world was turned upside down last year.

But it is up to us to decide what we do with it.

You've likely had more time in the past 12 months that wasn't being bought by a company than you've ever had since you were likely in your early teens.

The question I have for you is...

"What have you done with it?"

If your answer is "Nothing", "Sat on my backside and played video games", or even "Spent time with my kids kicking back", the time is now to change that.

I will not tell you that spending time with the people that mean the most to you or doing leisure activities are bad. On the contrary, they're really good for you. But if you haven't done something to build your professional self for future opportunities, you're way behind.

Imagine you're in an interview and you're asked "So what did you do with your pandemic?". The three answers provided above aren't going to land you that next position. What you did to improve your professional self WILL.

So if you've been procrastinating about starting one of those portfolio projects I'm always talking about... here's your wake up call.

The people who waste their pandemic by not doing something to better themselves professionally WILL lose.

Don't be one of them.

(This article originally appeared in the May 28th Issue of Recruiting Hell: Overtime)