Noticing what gets us through difficult times and transformative events is the first step in building a superpower.

I see this superpower as the ability to create and use a system of rewards to keep you going when the going gets tough.

It was Irina who got me thinking about this topic when she mentioned one of the things that she realized about herself during the course of a difficult transition. She observed that she needs an objective, a milestone to reach in order to power through difficult moments. Irina revealed that anticipating the reward she’ll get once she accomplishes what she set out to do is a powerful for motivator for her.

Maybe it can work for you too. It’s certainly something that sparked this important question:

How can I include some rewards in my plan for next year to get me going through the busiest months of the year?

I’m talking about including holidays, concerts, dancing classes, Greek language lessons, and other experiences into my roadmap for next year. (Yup, I’m making a roadmap for myself to avoid overworking and make more time for personal projects.)

Discover your areas of confidence

I think it’s serendipitous that this episode is the last one of 2019 because the topic of preparedness is on everyone’s mind this time of year.

From cleaning our houses to sifting through our stuff to get rid of the surplus, from spending some time with friends and family to planning for 2020, we have all these opportunities to reflect, a chance to internalize important realizations about ourselves.

Here’s another candid example from Irina:

I’m not confident in all aspects of my life but I’m confident in my ability to make a decision that’s good for myself.

Her perspective inspired me to define my own areas of confidence, like circling words in a word finder game. Personally, I’ve found that only when I allow myself to be confident in things I’m good at is when I enjoy them a lot more!

These are just two of the things that this podcast episode nudged me to think deeply about. I’m really curious what you take from it.

Listen to this episode to learn:

  • How to get comfortable with a foreign place after you’ve decided to move your life there
  • How to get along with foreign co-workers and leaders and how to build real relationships
  • Ways to defeat challenges you didn’t anticipate by making mindful choices
  • How commitment helps you to focus only on your most important decision: making it work
  • The importance of making connections with foreigners so you can decide with a richer context.

Why committing to making a decision work is so powerful

Irina Nica is a great marketer, doing top-notch work in her role as Senior Marketing Manager at HubSpot. Currently, her focus is managing the Hubspot community and the influencer relations that are part of their global marketing strategy.

If you’re keen to explore her work, start with her presentation on How to build an influencer marketing program:

One of the reasons I was eager to her on the show is her unique vantage point.

She works in Hubspot’s international team, which puts her at the crossroads of a complex decision-making process.

Irina is also someone who moved countries at 30 and built a new life in a new city while adjusting to a new role.

That packs many simultaneous changes to adjust to!

How to survive a period of multiple important changes

As we can both imagine, she experienced difficult moments, which she candidly shares, along with the lessons she took from them.

During our conversation, she often mentions commitment and how it helped her to narrow her options to just one: making it work.

Moving to Dublin to work at Hubspot gave her the elements she needed to persevere: a worthy objective to pursue and the commitment to overcome obstacles in that pursuit.

The job became an anchor and she immersed herself in this cultural context, both at work and outside of it.

She started by asking herself:

“What’s the worst that can happen?”

The answer was not life-threatening nor permanent, so the challenge became more approachable.

“What’s the worst that can happen?” is one of the most useful questions we should ask ourselves more often. You can explore 99 questions to help you make better decisions to get your started.

There are a lot more interesting topics that Irina surfaces during our conversation, so enjoy the whole thing!

A few ideas that stuck with me:

  • When you’re looking for a change and someone gives you the opportunity, take it.
  • Instead of giving up, try to anchor yourself in reality, even if it’s new and different for you.
  • A good colleague will always show their empathy and compassion when a difficult situation emerges.
  • Sometimes, the pressure of new circumstances is too much to handle. We need the reassurance of the manager who says “Look, it’s alright to fail. Just experiment, play around, be curious!”
  • Anticipating the outcomes can help you get through the painful parts.

About Irina Nica:

The moment when Irina looks back, she sees an adventurous woman who takes risks and doesn’t always think twice about possible consequences. This is partly what fuelled her decision to move her life to Dublin. She uncovered a new lifestyle there which came with the new job, new responsibilities, and new smiling faces that changed her mindset. But most of all, it came with learning about how important self-care is, not only for a healthy life but for a growing career as well.

Irina is candid about not being confident in all aspects of her life but also about trusting herself to make the best decisions for her life and career.

This is how she built her way to becoming Senior Marketing Manager at HubSpot.

Through hard work and perseverance, Irina not only elevated his skills and know-how, but also her life in Dublin – by nurturing meaningful relationships and anchoring herself in the city’s bustling life.

Moving to a different country is a huge decision and Irina’s perspective on what works to make this shift smoother and less stressful is illuminating!

Connect with Irina:

Resources mentioned in the episode:

Alternatively, play the episode in your favorite apps:

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Simplecast | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | Player.fm