410: Reimagining Your Weaknesses As Strengths To Find Your Ideal Career

Ross Loofbourrow 00:01

I want to be a speaker that motivates others that empowers them that brings them hope and helps them take those first steps to becoming more than they ever thought they could be.

Introduction 00:17

This is the Happen To Your Career podcast, with Scott Anthony Barlow. We help you stop doing work that doesn't fit you, figure out what does and make it happen. We help you define the work that's unapologetically you, and then go get it. If you're ready to make a change, keep listening. Here's Scott. Here's Scott. Here's Scott.

Scott Anthony Barlow 00:41

Strengths. Signature strengths. Particularly, we spent a lot of time on the podcast discussing this idea of strengths, finding them, appreciating them, talking about them in job interviews, using your strengths to find your ideal role. What we don't talk about as much, our weaknesses, we know that people are generally more fulfilled at work when they spend more time focusing on their strengths and less on weaknesses. That's what makes the story of Ross Loofbourrow so fascinating. You're gonna meet Ross in just a second. Ross didn't avoid his weakness. Instead, he turned his greatest weakness into his greatest strength.

Ross Loofbourrow 01:27

Energy like dude, you're the energy guy and that's the word. And it's by far the thing that people have said the most about me in such a positive way.

Scott Anthony Barlow 01:43

Ross has ADHD. And throughout his life, he's always thought of it as weakness until he realized he was thinking about it completely backwards. This is a pretty unique story from the HTYC library. I want you to listen to how Ross completely reversed the way he saw himself and the world saw him instead of focusing on weaknesses, focus on something else that we haven't spent a lot of time on, which we call "anti-strengths" or the shadow side of your strengths. Listen for it, as Ross tells a story, later on in the episode, but first, here's Ross sharing a little bit about where his career started. And what led up to what he's doing now.

Ross Loofbourrow 02:25

I started my career at Apple. How that happened? Well, my parents basically said, “you better get a job” and all the goals and the things I thought was gonna happen when I graduated college didn't... ended up moving in with my grandparents. Just very uncool in my mind and started saving money, started trying to buy ring and get married and I fell into a job at the Apple Store. A friend of mine worked there and someone I really respected had amazing thing to say about it and five interviews later for a part-time retail specialist role. And I was in. That was over nine years ago today.

Scott Anthony Barlow 03:05

Yeah. I'm curious what you said. Some of the things that you thought would happen didn't as you came out of school and then that led to moving in with your grandma, which you thought was uncool maybe some people do. My grandma was pretty cool. But I don't know that I would have wanted to live with her necessarily so kudos to you. But, what were some of those things that you thought would happen that didn't in that way?

Ross Loofbourrow 03:28

Yeah, so when I graduated, I mean everyone talks about in their Senior Year, what are you doing when you graduate? And you know, if you really are having things and you got your life in order, you know exactly the job you're gonna have when you step out of that school. And so, I lined up what I thought was a great opportunity as an admissions counselor at my school and I've been, had been a tour guide all four years, love doing that, I just felt pretty confident that it was gonna happen because I knew everybody in the office and I was ultimately told “Hey, Ross. After the extensive interview process. Hey, Ross if we had one more spot, it would go to you. I'm so sorry.” So that blew up my world and I thought I was gonna be a live my friends in Santa Barbara after I graduated. And I had to move home and moved in with my grandparents who are awesome, but I never dreamed I would live with them .

Scott Anthony Barlow 04:25

Yes. Totally.

Ross Loofbourrow 04:27

So, yeah, that's the plan I had that completely crumbled in front of me and it was an ultimate low at that moment where I was like, what am I doing?

Scott Anthony Barlow 04:37

What happened from there then? You’ve got, you ended up working at the Apple Store five interviews into it. And boom. You got your part-time a role and...

Ross Loofbourrow 04:47

That’s right

Scott Anthony Barlow 04:47

What happened at that point?

Ross Loofbourrow 04:49

Yes, I started at store. It ended up being the last Mini Apple Store in the entire world, is the store that I started at.

Scott Anthony Barlow 04:57

Really?

Ross Loofbourrow 04:58

This store people can't even conceptualize how small it was. It was the size of a shoebox. Honestly. It was a little crazy like a submarine at times. So, I stated there and I thought man I'm here for maybe three or six months get a little work experience. Slap it on my resume and I'm out of here. I'm gonna go get a big boy job for, and have a college degree. I loved it and I started getting so much affirmation really quickly. "Hey man, how are you so good at this like, where did you learn how to do that? Like how you talk to people like that? Man, the way you just described the iPad was like so cool and fresh. Like I never thought of describing it that way." And I can’t remember a time in my life where I was receiving so much affirmation for just being me. I thought that's just kind of fun. So, I stuck with it and I basically went from part-time role into a full-time role. Then I became one of the first experts when Apple rolled up that role to their stores and then within about two years, I became a manager. Which was really rare at the time. People really realize that in 2009, you know what the percentage chance was that you got a job at Apple any role: part-time, retail specialist, you name it. Guess what’s the percentage chance was 80%, 40% and this is for iPad or before watch.

Scott Anthony Barlow 06:26

Oh, my goodness. I would say like 20%, 30%.

Ross Loofbourrow 06:33

2%.

Scott Anthony Barlow 06:33

2%? Oh my goodness, I highballed it.

Ross Loofbourrow 06:36

About getting a job at Apple or so. And so, I got in and... I was loving it. So, became a manager which was really rare at the time to be promoted from within to that role and then ultimately have worked now at five different Apple stores in the bay area, have worked alongside hundreds of different people, have had a plethora of different coworkers. And now, I’m a manager at the Monterey location. So yeah, it's been a ride for sure.

Scott Anthony Barlow 07:05

So, here's what I'm curious about then. You got into Apple, realized very quickly that hey there are some of these things that people are appreciating about me. Obviously latch onto those and doubled, it sounds like double down in some of those areas. Started realizing that, "hey this is... I’m enjoying getting this feedback. I'm enjoying getting this affirmation. I'm enjoying actually doing these things that are getting there and then dive further into it." Clearly that was rewarded as well, which I think is super cool by the way leaning into some of those areas that you are already loving and already adding value to the world. I mean, that's obviously something we spend a lot of time talking about here. So, you were able to do that there. But also, somewhere along the way I know that you became interested in doing additional things too and...

Ross Loofbourrow 07:58

Absolutely.

Scott Anthony Barlow 07:58

You know, I alluded to this at the very beginning. I know that you’ve experienced ADHD and I know that somewhere along the way you decided you were interested in integrating the speaking component into your career, too. So how did that come to be? What was, what caused you to begin even thinking about that way back when and then later to start doing it?

Ross Loofbourrow 08:21

Yeah. It all started a few years ago. I was at this point in my journey at Apple, had been a manager for quite a while at that time, had held a bunch of different roles. As a manager, managers will oversee different areas of the store. So, I done that for quite some time and, I was kind of getting this age like, “Man, I’m a millennial. And I don't feel like one because I've been at the same company for so long. I haven't resisted moving but so many people my age are jumping from company to company.” So, I was getting a little restless kind of wondering like, am I doing right thing? Am I becoming stagnant? I don't wanna be stagnant.

Scott Anthony Barlow 09:01

Am I really a millennial?

Ross Loofbourrow 09:03

Yeah. Exactly. I've always been called an old soul.

Scott Anthony Barlow 09:07

I get that too, totally understand. Also, a millennial just barely.

Ross Loofbourrow 09:13

So, I hit this point, you can call a career made a moment, a career staller and in the biggest way. The first time in my career, I had coworkers and I had people that I reported to sharing with me, "you know it, Ross, I don't know if you really have what it takes to continue being a successful leader here at Apple any longer." And dumping like a lot of negative feedback on me. And more than that I never seen, this was caught me totally by surprise I thought I got hit by a truck, and I started spiraling which we can do with ADHD. I thought, what’s Plan B? I don't have plan C. All I've done is Apple, like what in the world am I gonna do if I'm not here? Well, that is when I decided, “you know what, Ross? You can't keep ignoring your ADHD” because I graduated college I said, “Forget this. I've never thinking about my ADHD again.” It has been a nightmare for me worrying about school and ADHD made it worse. I'm gonna go live my life, so I do. What workout up to that point pretending it wasn't their, didn't talk about it, never let other people know. And then this moment occurred where, "holy smokes, I absolutely felt like, I could lose my job if I don't pivot quickly in a different direction." So, I got the help I needed. I started looking for a clinic. A place where I could really start to harness and understand my ADHD brain because really at that time I didn’t and that’s where I found my first ADHD coach. Working with ADHD coach week over week for a year and no it was not cheap it’s significant that myself and that was the start of unlocking the new ways that I view ADHD and then ultimately that's what led me to Happen To Your Career. And that's what led me to working with you guys, is that I continued to ask this questions of, where can I add more value to the world? Apple has blessed me with understanding here is where I can, here are my gifts, here are my strength, but what else I can do with those things?

Scott Anthony Barlow 11:26

So, there's so much there and just a little bit of backstory. I am very high on the ADD spectrum kind of middle as far as when you're looking at it, if you’re looking at it on the Spectrum, kinda middle to high on the... what many people consider the ADHD spectrum and I have three children that all fall into various different ranges of that too. So, this is very much my world in a lot of different ways. So that's part of the reason why it's near and dear to my heart. What I'm curious about first, ‘cause I am really interested in some of the things that you have since done with that, but I'm curious where did you recognize was this when you were a kid? Where did you recognize that it created some of these differences for you in one way or another?

Ross Loofbourrow 12:13

Yeah, it was when I was in second grade. Second grade was kind of a culmination moment. I had noticed for quite a while there. People were laughing at me and ridiculing me when I would raise my hand and ask a question in class. I would be paying attention, I would be focusing as hard as I could. But ask these questions and everyone would giggle and laugh and as a second grader you feel horrible. Like, you know they’re not laughing with you, they’re laughing at you.

Scott Anthony Barlow 12:40

And the world is over after that, too.

Ross Loofbourrow 12:41

The world is over and your life is ending. And my mom, who is an angel, I don't know if I would be here today without her to be honest. She helped me identify and figure out that I had an auditory processing deficit and what that means is that I can be listening as hard as I want but things that come in to my brain, certain things sometimes just don't compute they get left out so I can be comprehending everything you're saying but then I don't even realize that 30 seconds or 2 minutes or a big chunk of what you are sharing, I do not remember. I can't recall and so that's why I would ask these questions, that’s was a big unlock moment andwas like, okay this is happening. And then we also found out that I had ADHD it was a double whammy.

Scott Anthony Barlow 13:35

Wow.

Ross Loofbourrow 13:36

Yeah.

Scott Anthony Barlow 13:36

So, recognized it way back in second grade. Fortunately, you had your mom there to help you begin to make sense of this in some way and start moving down that path and eventually started having the show back up all the way later, fast forward, what eight, ten years fully into your career. Actually, after you got out of school. And then now for the first time you're having to reconcile with it again, and... It’s sounded like that caused you to get some help and get some guidance on how to look at this thing and utilize it differently and we got the pleasure of working with you through as you were seeking out that out too. What point did you start realizing that I can take this thing and really help other people understand and begin to understand through speaking and engaging other people in different ways, to help them look at it as more of a gift than anything else. Where did that enter for you? Where did you first start thinking about that?

Ross Loofbourrow 14:40

Well, I think really go back to Happen To Your Career’s, career change bootcamp. The webcast and call that you guys offer I had stumbled on your podcast around this time. I found it and I never found anything quite like it. I'm like this exactly I would be listening to. Like where canI pivot, how can I find something that fits me more...

Scott Anthony Barlow 15:01

Now you’re on it, just a year later.

Ross Loofbourrow 15:04

Yeah and ultimately, I've seen that bootcamp, and I'd like, “Oh got on time, I have time” and it finally came up again on my radar and I thought I'm gonna do this. I did that and that was when I met for the first time, in that environment, Lisa got to hear more from you and ultimately started working with Lisa after my ADHD coach and what was really interesting is my ADHD coach said he started to prime, my thinking of, he’s said, “have you ever thought of doing like, video stuff, like you're so animated like that. That could be something that you really enjoy doing and can resonate with people” and he started to plant seeds but working with Lisa. She was the first person ever to validate my crazy dream and that was she said, “Ross, what do you really wanna do?” I said, “I wanna be speaker. Like I want to be a speaker that motivates others that empowers them that brings them hope and helps them take those first steps to becoming more than they ever thought they could be. And she immediately said “yes.” And we really talk on the phone about 30 minutes, but I already trusted her enough. And for her to say, Ross you can totally do that. That was a massive unlock and then it was figuring out. Okay? I wanna do this. But who am I to speak on anything. Like what am I gonna speak about? I'm not an expert on anything and that was when I ultimately started to dig down deep through those sessions with Lisa. Uncovering what are my biggest differentiators, is the fact that I do have ADHD and that I have, you know, seen both sides of it. I've seen the ugly and I've also seen the good. And what can I do with this. And that led to getting in to relieve that focus around mental health and specifically, an ADHD brain.

Scott Anthony Barlow 17:13

That's amazing and the thing I love about your story and what Lisa's shared with me and I told you she shared some tidbits along the way too. You didn't know about the, she was like, “Ross, there’s this awesome guy, you got like some point along the way you gotta meet him.” And one of the things that I was really impressed with that she had shared is, it was relatively short period of time that you started acting on this dream too. It wasn't like hey, okay, let's talk about this and then five years later, maybe someday kind of will start doing this but to the point where even as you and I got on this call got to be able to record this interview this morning. You had just come off of a speaking engagement. Was yesterday is that we said?

Ross Loofbourrow 18:02

Yeah yesterday.

Scott Anthony Barlow 18:03

Yeah, and I would love if you would share a little bit about that and what you got to go speak and how that turned out because I think it’s, you use the word humbling, but I really think that that's good. So, set the stage for us. How did how did this happen in the first place? What led up to this speaking engagement? And who were the kids and what did you get to talk about to them about? What came out of it?

Ross Loofbourrow 18:26

Yeah, it was to a couple schools over in Palo Alto.

Scott Anthony Barlow 18:30

Yeah.

Ross Loofbourrow 18:31

A private school that you know really focus on supporting kids with learning and attention challenges and differences. The schools are right over the hill and ultimately is a connection that I made at a conference I spoke at last spring.

Scott Anthony Barlow 18:46

Yeah.

Ross Loofbourrow 18:47

So, last spring was my breaking out moment. It was the first time I ever talked about ADHD being a superpower, and the advantages and the gifts and so this a continued connection from that and ultimately yeah, I walked in there. I didn't know any of the kids. The first group was 7th to 10th graders and then about 30 of them are so and then the second group pretty much immediately afterwards about fifth to eighth graders about another 30 or so kids. And yeah, I mean, there are kids and some of them are, they're dealing with their own challenges and so, you're there sharing, my message and I'm questioning myself the whole-time thinking, "is this even resonating with this guy over here. I mean this little girl over here it seems like she's really feeling what I'm sharing but I don't know" and I was just filled with all kinds of doubt and thinking and this is a train wreck. This is all horrible. And I came to discover afterwards that it actually went really well. All of the teachers had shared with me that the kids loved you and they want you to come back. Like you're welcome back anytime. You should come back and ride bikes. We’re going morning bike rides, and I had kids coming up to me afterwards and tears. Just sharing. I mean, fifth grade kids, seventh grade kids sharing. "Hey, like I wanna tell you my story" They don't say that there's dive into it telling you about how hard there go at life has been and how now they're at the school that really understands them. Things are so much better.

Scott Anthony Barlow 20:24

That's amazing.

Ross Loofbourrow 20:24

And then those are the moments that fill my bucket and it makes me feel this monumental sense of purpose and like wow, this is partly what have designed to do. I want to do more of that helping people in that way.

Scott Anthony Barlow 20:40

That is amazing on so many different levels and I love talking about those moments where you or anybody for that matter where you get a taste of that and you realized I have to do this more like in one way or another in...

Ross Loofbourrow 21:01

Yeah.

Scott Anthony Barlow 21:02

I've had many of those over the course of the last 10 years and know exactly what I'm talking about for the first time I went and spoke on careers. Actually, just this last week and I did a keynote and I totally understand by the way what you're talking about when you're looking at the crowd and you like things seems to be resonates with this person, this person’s like taking a picture with her phone and that person looks so bored and not even connecting, so I totally understand what goes through in that like the speaker brain in that way. So, can absolutely it looks like

Ross Loofbourrow 21:29

And the kids it’s like amplify.

Scott Anthony Barlow 21:30

Oh, my goodness! Yeah, like times a hundred at least. Yeah on steroids for sure. So, absolutely understand and appreciate that. Here's what I'm curious about then. Obviously a little biased for a number of reasons in terms of how I think about ADD, ADHD and other types of things that the world has a tendency to look at as disabilities in one way or another. But I'm really curious for you, why do you believe that this is such a super power for you? Why do you believe that this can be such a super power for other people as well?

Ross Loofbourrow 22:13

Yeah, so one of the biggest reasons is my energy.

Scott Anthony Barlow 22:17

Yeah.

Ross Loofbourrow 22:18

And I always put this to disclaimer out there if you are listening to this and you're thinking “Why I have ADHD, but I don't have that energy factor.” It doesn't mean you don't have ADHD and you don't have a brain like that. It just means, it's a spectrum. Like you were just mentioning and some of us fall on the spectrum with the energy component and I certainly do. I don't drink coffee. This is all natural.

Scott Anthony Barlow 22:43

This is all… yeah awesome.

Ross Loofbourrow 22:48

As a kid that's never looked as a positive thing. It’s like, hey sit still, be quiet, pay attention. Like stop it, like they wanna control you and that's the exact opposite of that's a nightmare for this energy component of mine. When I got to Apple, that's one of the key ways people describe me. I mean all see people now have been there so long that. I run into people I haven't seen in years and I'll say, hey, you don't remember my name? Energy, like dude, you're the energy guy and that's the word. And it's by far the thing that people have said the most about me in such a positive way. And like I really appreciate the energy that you bring like, the way that you light up our room, I feel like when you're here, like it just rubs off on me and like I'm more excited about the day just by default because of you and so like that was definitely a specific and I will call it a super power of ADHD and I sort of recognize, whoa, like most of the people don't innately have this and someone told me recently I told them, yeah, I'm ADHD and these are some of the things that I have believed and they looked at me and said well, we're all jealous, because of my energy. So, that’s absolutely one of the key moments I started just to think, there's gotta be something more to this. What other things could there be, you know, at Apple, I spent a lot of time as a manager, working with my team and connecting with them on, I mean, it’s one of the reason I still love Apple so much is ‘cause we are such a human focused organization and we connect with our team around personal stuff. That's going on the highs, the lows and we help them understand, like, their blind spots. And we remind them other gifts and things are amazing at it. The ability that I have this intuitive nature relationally to know the right thing to say. And know at the right moment to say it and almost to describe things in a way about people that have others around me go, “oh, no one’s ever describe that person that way but you just nailed it. Like how is your gut so often right?” I feel like it's most of the time spot on. So again, like that intuitiveness, that gut instinct my energy like those are some of the ways I might, there's something different about this, that I wanna share.

Scott Anthony Barlow 25:45

That’s fantastic and I find it so fascinating and well, obviously, I'm very interested in this sort of thing, but the way that ADD, ADHD brains are wired for lack of a better explanation, allows different, I mean, it completely allows different types of connections when compared to the average person. It’s been so interesting for me to see myself and then my three kid who have all completely different elements of it. Like I didn't understand just I didn't understand till he's really start my wife and I really started diving into this and she's been a teacher and actually did a number of projects on ADD and ADHD and a couple other things to throughout college way back when and then as part of her some continuing course work and so at the time she didn't know she’s gonna have three children that we're going to test this knowledge later on for her.

Ross Loofbourrow 25:46

Yeah.

Scott Anthony Barlow 25:46

But it's been really interesting to see all of the different ends of the spectrum. So, for example, like you mentioned that incredible energy and how you show up differently and my son, my middle son Camden. We see a manifest in similar ways, but also like to the point where people as a whole are terrible multitaskers, right? This, like as a whole. So, this kid...

Ross Loofbourrow 26:49

Don’t get me start on multitasking.

Scott Anthony Barlow 26:49

Oh, my goodness. Yes.

Ross Loofbourrow 27:17

It doesn't exist.

Scott Anthony Barlow 27:19

So, it doesn't exist and not in any ways that are really helpful, but I am amazed at the capacity with this kid and his brain. He can be like out playing sports or doing something that occupies like 100% of his physical energy and still be able to like have perfect dictation and recall of exactly what somebody was saying over off to the side in another conversation with all of those with several other conversations around the side and just it blows my minds in the ways that those types of things will show up which does not necessarily mean that, that’s how it shows up in everybody to your point earlier.

Ross Loofbourrow 27:55

Yeah.

Scott Anthony Barlow 27:56

But it's fascinating how it can turn into such a gift in a variety of different ways. So, I appreciate you sharing it.

Ross Loofbourrow 28:05

Yeah, oh absolutely.

Scott Anthony Barlow 28:11

What's next from here because you have, I feel that in some way like you are unlocking a really cool piece of your own journey, and I so appreciate that you have allowed us to participate in a portion of a ride. And I'm just very thankful for that. And I know my team is as well and Lisa too and what is next and what is upcoming for you? Where do you see yourself going from here?

Ross Loofbourrow 28:36

Yeah. So, I'm just getting started and I have to constantly remind myself that it is a journey and it's just one step at a time ‘cause one of those things that in ADHD brain is proud to do is we have this gross misunderstanding of how much time it takes to accomplish things and so, I will have 25 different large things on my to-do list on any given day. And so, treating this journey the same way, it's really important to remind myself. Okay, like it's one step at a time, and I'm just figuring things out. Right now, I know that I want to continue speaking. I know that, that's an area where I can add so much value and really help others. I've already seen that. And, I wanna continue to share resources and you know these differing thoughts and opinions and even ground-breaking researches out there that people are just not even aware of the things that we're finding on ADHD. Like there's so much to still unknown, but it is fascinating and it blows people's minds. For example, I have to share one of those things. So, what some of the latest like brain research were fighting with ADHD is that, you could actually rename the condition a diagnosis of boredom. Wait, what do you mean? Well, ultimately what they found is that a brain with ADHD when compared to a brain without ADHD. All of our brains have the dopamine receptors that exist in this reward region of the brain that is deep beneath the cortex and in ADHD brain we have vastly fewer of these dopamine receptors. So, in layman's terms like so what well essentially anyone beneath areas in your brain is likely walking around just generally disinterested in the world. Like in most of things around them there just not most things don’t light their fire like a normal brain would, so that's why it's so critical for an ADHD here to find the final thing that passion about. Find the thing you love doing. And the thing that's right in your wheelhouse, right in your strengths because that is the area where you're gonna be able to hyper-focus in the best way, not the worst way. That's the way that you're gonna be able to discover, kind of like I'm last couple years like it's the unlock moment. Oh, my goodness. This is something I can do. This is the place I wanna stay. Yeah, so that's one piece that I've just found fascinating learning about and it helps you look at yourself seriously and not look at your ADHD as a joke or this thing doesn't exist, but you really start to understand. Whoa. This is how I work. Okay, like let me take some steps in your directions but to answer your question. Yeah, I wanna speak more actually set a goal this last year of I was gonna write my first book. And you know that goal is probably not coming to fruition by the end of 2018.

Scott Anthony Barlow 32:08

There are still a short period of time in 2018 left, go ADHD brain go.

Ross Loofbourrow 32:17

Exactly. It's one of the spinning plates that is dropping and you can't beat yourself up if you say, hey that’s not gonna get done, but you try to do too much and that's all right, you know, let's keep it going. So, I'm definitely gonna do that in the future. I also wanna get into coaching. That’s the component I think it massively helped me with at Happen To Your Career. And then with my ADHD coach at the clinic that I worked with that it changes my life, massive. So, I really wanna get into that and see how I can, yeah help others, learn more about themselves, self-reflect and really pivot and moving those directions that they really feel called to do.

Scott Anthony Barlow 33:02

Very cool. Well...

Ross Loofbourrow 33:04

Yeah.

Scott Anthony Barlow 33:04

I so appreciate you taking the time and coming and sharing a portion of your story and I said thank you again, but I really meant it for allowing us to sit a front row seat along for part of the ride and it's just been amazing to hear a little update from Lisa and to finally get to meet you and people aren’t going to see you on here, but we're chatting via video and it just been fantastic. So, I very much appreciate that. Thank you.

Ross Loofbourrow 33:38

Yeah. No. Thank you Scott. It was surreal when I started actually listening to the Happen To Your Career podcast and your voice I recognize obviously and then to have us connecting and talking today. It was a moment like, “is this happening?”

Scott Anthony Barlow 33:57

This is happening Ross. This is happening right now. Hey, this really has been very cool. And I've had a ton of fun and so that we can support what you're doing. And obviously I am a huge fan of that for many different reasons. But if you are interested in having Ross come and speak and want to get in touch with them. What is the best way that they can do that Ross?

Ross Loofbourrow 34:21

Yeah, so my website is the best place to get in contact with me. That's gonna be my full name: RossLoofbourrow.com. It’s kind of a doozy two OO’s. Well several OO’s and a couple more ‘r’s’ so definitely check the show notes on that, but you can also just type in https://heroicADHD.com and that will redirect you to my website as well https://heroicADHD.com

Scott Anthony Barlow 34:47

We've found that one of the six keys to having an incredibly fulfilling career and much more meaningful career is doing more work in your signature strengths. And in fact, we've also learned that you can even use your signature strengths as you're making a career change or as you're making a career transition. And we put together this pretty amazing guide to help you, not only begin to get very clear on your strengths and discover your strengths, but also to use them as you're getting hired for the right job. Find out what most people miss about, why strengths are so important and how strengths operate differently than what you think they do and why they are one of the six keys to doing work you love. And four ways to get started immediately identifying your signature strengths. And you can do that by going to hiredforstrengths.com that's hiredforstrengths.com to get started right away. Or you can text MY STRENGTHS, that's mystrengths, plural, to 44222. That's mystrengths to 44222.

Scott Anthony Barlow 36:02

Everyone loves a happy ending. And a lot of time on the podcast, we talk to people, they share their stories, and they come off as pretty straightforward. They were unhappy, they felt stuck. Then they decided to change careers. It was challenging, but eventually they succeeded. And now they're incredibly happy. Hooray. But we've been having conversation behind the scenes for about two or three years now that there's a danger in that. And we want you to understand how it really looks from the inside when you decide to make a career change. So today, we wanted to highlight a different kind of career change story when that wasn't as simple.

Laura Parker 36:45

It's just that's the job. It wasn't, you know, there are plenty of people out there that will love that sort of moving fast paced, moving from customer to customer, but it just didn't sit well with me.

Scott Anthony Barlow 36:56

That's Laura Parker. She made a big career change to get out of her role, where she was unhappy, but just two years into her new role, realize she was not thriving and needed another change. The truth is, the career change is a journey. You don't necessarily achieve your dream job, achieve your dream career in just one step. And even if you do, it turns out you're human. Your life goes on. You continue to change and develop new interests. And you may find that, you need to make another change. And not only is that okay, it's actually great because it means you're listening to yourself and keeping track of what you need to feel happy in your role. Laura does a great job of describing how she made a career change, and then made another one. I want you to listen just for that and in our conversation. Later in the episode, Laura will talk about the experience of knowing when it was time to change careers after she had just changed careers. All that and plenty more next week right here on Happen To Your Career. Make sure that you don't miss it. And if you haven't already, click Subscribe on your podcast player so that you can download this podcast in your sleep and you get it automatically. Even the bonus episodes every single week, sometimes multiple times a week. Until next week, adios. I'm out.