CEO and Chief Career Coach of Paul Allen Career Advisory Group, and Former CEO/Founder of Largest Executive Search Firm in Our Class.

Twelve years ago, I completely lost my ability to speak for a year and a half because of a rare neurological disease. I have since (after a six-hour operation) become able to speak again. This occurred in the midst of being CEO of an executive search firm, and so you can only imagine how difficult this was.

Though this was a test of my resilience, it led me to discover meditation and mindfulness, which changed my life forever and led me to some key benefits of meditating daily. I am not talking about hours a day. I started with five minutes a day and now, every morning upon waking, I do 15 minutes every day.

After selling my search firm to my partners, I opened the first meditation-only studio in Miami Beach.

So, what does this have to do with making a career change?

Here's what I learned that applies to career transitions.

In order to make the career change that will put you in the “zone” (a career that matches your unique traits, your superpowers), you need to “slow it down to speed it up.” What I mean is that you first must get clear on what your superpowers are. There are many assessments on the market that will nail your superpowers. Some of my favorites that I respect are The Highlands Ability Battery and The Predictive Index.

Back to meditation. Meditation will also help you get clear. It will help you be present, be less reactive, be more responsive on your terms, be more confident because you are clear, be at peace with your decisions, be a better listener and be more compassionate toward others and, just as important, to yourself. These are just some of the many benefits of a daily meditation practice.

So, as it pertains to your job search, being clear on what you're looking for in a new position (I suggest writing down specifically what it is you want and don't want) will keep you true to what's best for you in the long term. Self-compassion is helpful during a career change as the search is hard work, often involving lots of rejection, and so it's so important to be kind to yourself (not self-critical or judgemental of yourself, as an example).

Choosing the right fit job should be based on three important criteria, at a minimum:

1. Does the company culture match your values?

2. Will your new boss/manager be someone you can grow from under their leadership?

3. Are you passionate about the position, the company and the overall leadership?

Meditation can help you answer these questions from inside yourself. 

So where do you get started? Start with a meditation app, like Headspace, Calm or Insight Timer, to make it easier and keep yourself accountable. Anyone can do it; you just have to start with five minutes a day. Try it first thing after you wake.

In addition to an app, if you want to supplement it with what I have found to be easy-to-read and secular (non-religious) books, check out Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn or Ten Percent Happier by Dan Harris. Finally, while not exactly a book on meditation but for me, a game-changer, read The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer. The books are not a replacement for a daily practice but instead a powerful supplement.

Finally, think “Be, do, have” instead of “Have, do, be.” In our American culture, we many times do it differently; we think that if we have a job with a fancy title or a large income or nice cars and other material items that this will make us happy. But in my experience speaking with some very high-achieving individuals, they almost all agree that the material things do not make for happiness. Instead, material things' happiness effect is only temporary, and it’s a never-ending cycle to have more and more. 

Instead, meditation and mindfulness allow you to get away from this cycle of having more and more by being more aware and present and more aligned with who we are. Instead, we can be (fill in the blank). We do this by starting with being (visualizing that amazing career, being happy, present, at peace, compassionate, grateful, etc.).

This is then followed by the doing. We can do the things that make us happy, content and confident. We can practice, read, learn and do that list of our values, staying true to it.

And then we get to have what we want (a career we love, happiness, peace, awareness, gratitude, etc.). Do you see the difference when we start with be instead of have?

So to tie it all back, having a daily practice of meditation is an asset and a tool to get more present and aware and make better decisions when it comes to your career and your life. 

Try it. Slow down, and you will see how it speeds up your path to the career and life you have dreamed of.

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