Questers - Are you a Quester or a Traditionalist?

I’m sure you’ve noticed that we are living in a world of ever increasing change. I’ve been talking a lot lately about fear and how the Shield can assist you in moving through fear. With the Shield you’re no longer dealing with the fears of the planet and everyone on it. After we’ve released fear, we’re more able to deal with changes and challenges.

I've been a quester my entire life, although I never had a word for it. Change has been a big part of my life, and when I haven't made changes willingly, the Universe has stepped in to give me a boot. The most dramatic of those "boots" was a fire that burned down the company where I had worked for ten years. I'd known it was time to move on, but just wasn't doing it. Wow, what a wake up call. Since then I've tried to be more in tune with myself and what's working and what's not, but I don't always manage.

Recently I was working as an accountant, which actually can be quite interesting. However, in this case it was production accounting, doing books and monthly sales and payroll tax for 30 clients. Never ending deadlines and a fairly negative work environment were getting me down and I was rapidly losing my normal joy. So what happened? I fell at work, I tripped over an electrical cord I'd complained about numerous time. I was quickly shown the true nature of my employers in that they gave me no support and no understanding of the fact that I was injured. It took me several more months of continuing pain and depression to realize I needed a change in a big way. In one week my doctor, chiropractor and massage therapist all told me they were worried about me and I needed to quit. I finally did it, and almost miraculously the pain in my ribs almost completely went away...felt a bit like I'd removed the knife from my side. hmmm

My point here is...is your life working? If not, can you make changes that will support you better?

Questers: An Interview with Carole Kanchier, PhD
I found this article http://www.galtglobalreview.com/careers/questers_interview%20I.htm

This article about change seems especially appropriate at this time of year. The New Year always seems to bring us to a point of reflecting on the year past and the year we’re moving into. Sometimes we view the coming year with excitement, other times with trepidation and worry about all the changes that are coming. This year with a new president about to be inaugurated, I’m sure we’re all feeling a bit of both. Carole's work shines a new light on the subject and I believe it will help people embrace the fact that change can be an adventure, part of a quest for a more meaningful life.

In our company newsletter I also write about how I think the Shield can assist one in dealing with change. However, I don't want this to sound like a spam...or an advertisement, because that's not my point. My true point is to find ways to embrace change and to deal with it in positive ways. How you do that is up to you. I've found a Shield can help. I've also created jewelry using gemstones that are specifically meant to bring ease with change, manifestation, etc. If you're interested in knowing more about either the Shield or my jewelry line, please email me or comment.

Questers: An Interview with Carole Kanchier, PhD
By Faye Mallett
Carole Kanchier, author of Dare to Change Your Job and Your Life, is uniquely qualified to write and talk about change. With over 25 years of demonstrated success in the career, psychology, education and business fields, she has researched career/life transitions and counseled individuals experiencing change. In an interview for the Galt Global Review, she discusses the connection between career and life transitions, and the people whom she calls "Questers."
Your book, Dare to Change Your Job and Your Life, not only inspires you to rethink your career and life, it shows you how. Could you give a brief summary of the book?

Dare to Change shows individuals and organizations how to move beyond traditional thinking about careers. It provides an integrated perspective on how we grow and change through life and how we make major decisions. Dare to Change normalizes change and shows how “Questers” move forward by strengthening Quester qualities such as authenticity, resilience, a sense of purpose, intuition, and optimism.

One of the things you address is how the career and life cycles interact. Can you expand upon this?
We tend to alternate between transitional and developmental periods throughout life. Transitions, which generally begin during late adolescence then occur every decade after that, are times for questioning who we are and what we want to do. Changes in priorities, needs and lifestyles may result.

During developmental periods we make commitments to and work toward desired goals. At the same time we also experience the career cycle of entry, mastery and disengagement. During entry, we’re enthusiastically learning new job tasks. In mastery, we’re competent, confident and productive. If we’re no longer challenged by our job duties, we lose enthusiasm, productivity and confidence.

This disengagement stage of the career cycle tends to parallel the transition stages of the life cycle. By age 30 (the first major adult transition), many people are seeking new challenges and skills. Growing individuals, who feel they’re no longer deriving desired work rewards, generally move from their positions after progressing through a career cycle. Many clients I see in my counseling practice are in transitions. They may be depressed, burned out, stressed, anxious. Their feelings tend to be related to job dissatisfaction or loss, divorce or relationship challenges, pregnancy, death of a loved one or illness.

One gentleman with whom I worked experienced an intense transition at age 60. At 59, he had lost his engineering job, had issues with his son who was in trouble with the law, had divorced his wife a year earlier and lost his mother within a year of losing his job. During this major life transition he came to terms with his losses, went back to school to update his skills and is now working in a new field of engineering. In his 60s this gentleman became a Quester, whereas before he had been living his life more as a Traditionalist.

How long does a transition typically last?

Transitions average 3 to 5 years, and developmental periods average 5 to 10 years,
Although everybody has their rhythm, a transition occurs on average every 7.5 years. Interestingly, in my research I discovered that many organizations move their employees either by promoting members or transferring them to a different department approximately every 7 years. When I asked one particular department why they did this, and if it was based upon any particular research, they replied that they didn’t know of such – they just knew that this “worked.”

You talk in your book a lot about who you term as “Questers.” Who are Questers? What are the key qualities of a person who is a Quester?
They are creative, growth-oriented individuals who tend to value internal rewards such as growth, autonomy, and challenge over external rewards such as achievement, prestige, and money. Not that most Questers don't like these things as well, but they are prepared to make trade-offs to get what they want.

Questers periodically reassess who they are and where they want to go. Questers are authentic, intuitive, optimistic, resilient, confident, have a sense of purpose, and courage to take planned risks to create their desired lives. They will move up, down or sideways on the occupational prestige ladder to continue needed growth and revitalization.

Can Quester traits be learned?
We are all born with these traits. We learn to walk, we fall, we pick ourselves up and go again. Observe any small child and you will see them visibly engaged and intensely involved in whatever they are doing. This is what Questers do. Mind you, we need a supportive environment, but our natural tendency is to be involved in what we choose to do.
To nurture these Quester traits throughout development, we need at least one person such as a parent, teacher or other significant adult to give us support, feedback, and autonomy. In addition, we need challenge so we get a sense of accomplishment and confidence. This is called competence motivation, which I talk about in my book.

What was your first encounter with people whom you call Questers?One of the questions I asked for my PhD research was: Why do some people voluntarily change jobs and others not? How do people who voluntarily change jobs differ from those who don't? Are voluntary career changes related to the life cycle transitions, as theorized by Daniel Levinson and colleagues?
In my academic writing, I called them ‘changers’ and ‘non changers,' but when I wrote Dare to Change, I brainstormed possible terms with a few friends. We came up with the more appropriate 'Questers and Traditionalists.'
Nobody is a true Quester or a Traditionalist. Many of us have traits of both.

Do Questers differ from generation to generation?
No. Questers have been around for ages. Throughout history, people who've made major contributions to humankind were Questers.

It’s certainly easier to be a Quester now. As a matter of fact, people will have to adapt Quester qualities in order to prevail in the new millennium.

You tell us some interesting stories about Questers in your book. What are a few compelling ones?
One of my favorite Questers is Galileo Galilee. This Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer and philosopher played a major role in the scientific revolution. Considered a revolutionary in his time, Galileo proved the earth revolved around the sun instead of the other way around.

Other famous Questers are Bill Gates and Dr. Barbara McClintock.
Many entrepreneurs are Questers. Two attorneys I know who practiced law in a big Eastern city left their thriving law practice to start a garbage recycling business. Many people, 60 and older are retiring from conventional jobs and considering a whole new set of options. I've met people who in their 50s return to school to study medicine. One gentleman returned to school at 70 to become a minister. Prior to this he had been a successful senior executive for an international organization. Many are starting new ventures at 90 or older.

Just recently I met a couple who came to Canada from Europe. The gentleman, Dr. Ivan Kropyvntskyy, a neurosurgeon approaching 40, decided after considerable soul searching not to take lucrative offers to practice neurosurgery. Instead, he chose to follow his passion: preventative health, and launched a web site called http://www.wellnessaid.com/.

Questers and the Contemporary Career

Employees in the 21st Century need strong, creative minds, the ability to think for themselves, make wise decisions, and work as a team. Most important, they need to know how to learn. Over a decade ago, Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus found the key personal quality needed for running successful organizations was personal learning. This is particularly important today.
Part II of this interview will focus on Questers and the Contemporary Career.
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