The definition of insanity

Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash

A lot of motivational talk, on job hunting and life in general, centers on “DON’T QUIT!”

That’s great advice. Perseverance, in the face of adversity, is a key to success.

But there’s another side to that coin.

It’s also important to know when to quit something - a strategy, a job, even a relationship - that doesn’t serve you.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

As a creature of habit and an introvert, often it’s difficult for me to move on. But I’m getting better at it.

For me personally, I’ve started to de-emphasize applying for generally-advertised jobs that have 300 applicants, and focus much more on networking.

That’s just my path, and it’s not for everyone.

The point is especially as an older job seeker, you might be stuck with some outdated ideas about what job hunting means. It’s not just about writing a decent resume and perfecting your handshake.

There’s a lot more to it now.

And you should continuously be evaluating everything about your job search: whose advice you listen to (!), how you apply, who you apply to, how you communicate, what’s important in each step.

Never keep doing something just because you’ve always done it. Do it because it works.

I hope that hanging out here is part of that continuous evaluation. Because getting stuck in a rut is one of the worst things you can do for your employment prospects.

Trust me, I know.

If you’re feeling stuck in a rut, here are some ideas to break out of it:

• Make art. Write. Knit a sweater. Do whatever you do to create something in the universe, not just consume. (I write and take photographs.)

• Talk to three new people in your field.

• Find a new place online where people in your field hang out, and start hanging out there, too.

• Imagine your dream day at work. Then work backwards to how you can achieve that. Write it out.

Even more so, don’t think of changing course as quitting. Quitting gets a bad rap in American culture. Quitting can be extremely positive, when it puts you on a new course that serves you better. I wrote about this in “Starting Over.”

Onward and upward.

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I would love to hear what things you have quit doing that have made your life better. Let me know in the comments, or just reply to this email.

Thanks for being here.