Nathalie Keijzer
Nov 2016
What if the solution was as simple as learning how you specifically are designed to handle pressure? Imagine it was as easy as giving your birth data to an expert BG5 Career and Business Consultant. This consultant is specially trained to decipher your genetic map, and guide you into alignment with your innate strengths, talents and gifts. Your consultant doesn’t just show you how to avoid the pitfalls of your mind and beliefs that don’t serve you. They also show you how to take advantage of your hidden shadows and turn them into your greatest areas of wisdom.
What is the result of applying this newfound knowledge in your life? When you no longer find yourself on the hamster wheel of repeated burn-outs, you can build a life of true fulfillment. Read on for the real-world case study of Nathalie, a Classic Builder who went from Burn-Out to Laser-Focused.
Nathalie often found herself getting promoted in various jobs after being recognized for her talent and skills. Each promotion, however, lead to more responsibility in a multitude of areas – scattering her once focused energy into an array of different directions.
Shortly after receiving nathliea promotion, Nathalie started feeling a buildup of extreme stress in trying to live up to the expectations of juggling multiple priorities. As the stress and pressure built, her satisfaction in doing the job dramatically decreased, yet she continued to push through. Eventually her body could no longer physically handle the stress. The intense burnout and clinical depression she experienced was so severe, she was no longer able to work.
After months of recovery, Nathalie was finally able to return to the workplace. But unfortunately, the same thing happened again – she was recognized – promoted – tried to juggle too many things – and finally had to leave the job to recover from extreme burnout and depression once again. This became a repeating pattern – happening several times over the past decade.
When Nathalie requested a Career Design Analysis, she had recently recovered from her last breakdown. She found herself unemployed and wanting to fulfill a dream of starting her own coaching practice. After three years of training she was soon to become a certified Coach & Business Consultant. She wanted to know whether an independent coaching practice was a suitable Career Environment for her and how she could avoid the same fate of intense burnout that had happened so many times before.
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The Strength of Concentration (52-9):
This is the laser-like ability to maintain a focus which allows you to keep still and concentrate on the issue at hand. You are continually involved in assessing the details of whatever you have dedicated yourself to.
It is unhealthy for you to dissipate this potent energy by having to deal with too many things at once.
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Some of the biggest pitfalls of being a Classic Builder like Nathalie are…
With the openness inherent in Nathalie’s Career Design, the outside influences and pressures were often magnified making it very easy to fall into these pitfalls. Outside influences would often distract her into spreading her energy too thin and scattering her energy – leading to repeated episodes of extreme burnout.
It was such a relief for Nathalie to understand the cause of her repeated breakdowns and know that she was simply not designed to spread her energy around in so many different directions. She experienced a feeling of great relief in realizing there was nothing wrong with her, that she wasn’t a failure for getting burned out over and over again. She simply was not properly utilizing her natural abilities in the way they were designed to operate.
She learned through her BG5 Career Design Analysis that she can avoid the burnout and stress when she devotes her focused energy to something very specific she loves doing—dedicating herself to perfecting and mastering a specific skill. Like mastering the piano, for instance, one must practice over, and over, and over again to perfect their art.
Nathalie learned that as long as she maintains focus, studying, practicing, mastering, doing what she loves her life will run smoothly as long as she is following her Decision Making Strategy.
Nathalie’s Decision Making Strategy of “Following her Gut” allows her to tune into what is true and correct for her. This gives her the power to distinguish when she is being influenced by outside pressures which, as she learned through past experience, can lead to over commitment and burnout. This also helps her distinguish when she is doing what is focused and correct for her.
A Gut “Yes” or “Ah-huh” that pulls her forward with excitement will lead towards satisfaction. A gut “No” or “uhu-uh” can prevent frustration and burnout when followed.
In the session with her BG5 Consultant her passion for coaching and consulting was apparent with a strong gut “YES” response! It is something she thoroughly loves doing so much she would be prepared to do it over and over again to perfect it and be a detailed authority and expert in her field.
Nathalie also discovered that coaching and consulting fits in beautifully with the design of her Life Work.
Nathalie’s Life Work is to provide practical solutions as a detailed authority. Others naturally look to her to lead, save or guide them with new and innovative ways to bypass or overcome obstacles. It is healthy for her to step in and provide a logical, practical solution and then step out. Having a solid foundation of knowledge is important for her to focus on. When she says “Yes” to the right clients by listening to her gut response her reputation will flourish and she has the ability and responsibility to make huge difference in the lives of many.
She also has the ability to work well on her own. She has what is known as an ”Independent Assimilation” which allows her to process information quickly and work independently, so starting her own coaching practice is an ideal work setting for her. As long as she keeps focused and follows her gut she can easily avoid the stress, pressures and burnouts from the past.
All in all, Nathalie was thrilled that the session confirmed and reinforced her gut feeling to start her own coaching and consulting practice and gave her deep insight into how to avoid debilitating burnouts moving forward into the future.
On-going coaching of the BG5 Consultant can be of great value, especially when a habit is so deeply ingrained. One session may not always sufficient. You may understand and feel freed-up from the information you learned, but you may not do anything about it or make the necessary changes. This was true for Nathalie.
Even though Nathalie now knew about her career design and making decisions, she once again got caught up in outside stresses and pressures of life.
Shortly after her BG5 Career Design Analysis, Nathalie accepted a job offer as an Executive Assistant in an international non-governmental organization. It was an opportunity she felt she couldn’t resist even though her gut response was “uhu-uh” being No.
Her mind second guessed her gut response.
She told herself, “I loved working for a philanthropic business before when I worked for a Charity Foundation. This will give me the security of a good, stable income. Starting my own business is risky especially being a single mom. In my BG5 Consultant was also told I could work in Partnership – this position is kind of like a partnership within the organization.”
The former Executive Assistant had already resigned and Nathalie promptly got on board this fast moving train without any training or support. In no time she found herself scattered, not knowing what to focus on and being pulled in multiple directions. Pressurized stress built up at a fast pace. Within a month she ended up at home again with another severe breakdown forcing her to leave the job.
Nathalie reached out to her BG5 Consultant for support. The BG5 Consultant once again explained there was nothing wrong with her; she had just experienced the danger of spreading her energy too thin. Nathalie was reminded that her success lies in focusing her energy doing something she loves. She also was made aware of the importance of following her gut and consequences of second guessing her gut response.
“You are designed to work in a very focused, concentrated, detailed way. When you try to focus on too many things at once it can lead to stress, panic and burnout. Take one thing at a time in a step-by-step manner and trust your gut in knowing what to say yes to. Your gut will always tell you what you have the energy for or not. Don’t over commit.”
Going through the experience again made her realize “Oh my goodness, now I really do see the pattern.”
As soon as Nathalie was able to let it go and realize there was nothing wrong with her, she began focusing on her coaching and consulting business. She was delighted with the peaceful stillness she experienced in being able to concentrate and devote herself to her practice.
Things began to move forward and new opportunities became available. Feeling this sense of calm is critical for her to be able to see the opportunities as they come to her. Nathalie soon discovered that she could actually receive a start-up allowance for half a year, starting her own business as an entrepreneur and she is now well on her way to a successful career!
Nathalie comments: “I am so grateful for understanding and seeing what happened over the past year and experiencing how abundant the energy is doing what I love, not burning me down at all. Coaching is something I love to do. Being a laser focus, I can work with clients and get to the heart of matters, focusing in on what the issue is very quickly to uncover it. Having so much openness in my design with only two Functions defined, I can really tap into the fears, nervousness and emotions of others. Because I can see the underlying details and bring intuitive clarity to others, clients usually are very happy which is very satisfying for me. Working on my own, not scattering myself, gives me a lot of energy! Life does unfold right in front of you once you do what you are designed to do.”
In work and career there is naturally stress and pressure. People handle stress in different ways. Understanding how YOU are designed to handle stress can support you in avoiding getting burned out, depressed or having other health issues. It can help you live a healthier and happier life, personally and in your career.
How do YOU handle stress and pressure?
Is stress and pressure causing health problems in your life, like overwhelm, depression or burn-out?
Learning how you are designed to handle stress can make all the difference.
