Dubai-based Career Coach Zeta Yarwood On Saying Yes To Opportunity And Having It All
Here, she shares what she would tell her younger self to the key lessons she learned over time…
Zeta Yarwood, a personal development and career coach, has lived in Dubai for 13 years — and has been working for herself for the last six, helping senior-level professionals achieve success. Zeta has over 228,000 followers on LinkedIn, and was recognised as one of 15 ‘LinkedIn Top Voices’ in the GCC 2020 category. She reveals her thoughts on what she would tell her younger self to the key lessons she learned over time with Bazaar Belief.
Defining career moment?
Being made redundant in the financial crisis of 2008-2009. I was unemployed for over a year and it was a real wake-up call for me. I realised I’d been trapped in a career I didn’t even enjoy for three years. This was an opportunity to figure out what I wanted out of my life and my career. Being made redundant was the catalyst for me becoming a coach.
Happiness is…
Spending time in nature.
What part of your work are you most proud of?
Watching clients take massive strides towards their goals, and tap back into the confidence and self-worth buried under years of negative self-talk, is beyond inspiring and rewarding.
The key to success is… Self-worth. If you don’t believe you’re worthy of success, you will either never feel successful no matter what you do, or you will sabotage any opportunity to be successful. Only when you truly believe you are worthy of success and all it brings, will you experience it.
View this post on Instagram
What advice would you give to someone who wants a change of career?
Firstly, get clear on your motives for wanting to change careers. If you’re generally happy with yourself and in life but your career is one area you’d like to change, great. But if you don’t feel good about yourself and have a general sense of depression or sadness, pinning your hopes on a career change to ‘ x’ that is an unrealistic expectation. No career will make you happy. Work on your self-worth first before making any rash decisions about changing your career.
Best piece of advice for someone starting out?
Say yes to every opportunity – you have no idea what other doors it might open for you.
Describe yourself in three words…
Compassionate, steadfast, results-oriented.
View this post on Instagram
What would you tell your younger self?
Don’t make decisions based on what other people think. You’re the one who has to live with the consequences of that decision – nobody else.
The values you most desire in others?
Kindness, being grounded and a willingness to help others.
What’s the best way to sell yourself in an interview?
The most powerful tool is confidence. Selling is 10 per cent convincing and 90 per cent conviction. If you have conviction in what you’re bringing to the table and have done your research to identify the employer’s needs, pain points and objectives, you’ll then be able to confidently communicate that.
What motivates you?
Being able to share my insights, knowledge and experiences.
View this post on Instagram
Can we have it all (and what does that mean)?
Yes we can have it all, just not at the same time. When we spend time doing one thing or spend time with someone else, something gets sacrificed in that moment.
My greatest joy is…
Listening to my niece and nephew laugh.
What key lessons have your learned over time?
We chase success, relationships and money etc. in the hope they will make us happy. But only we can make ourselves happy. The rest are just short-term dopamine fixes that will eventually wear off.
Luxury is…
Being able to pay for the basics without having to worry about having enough money to do so.
Lead image courtesy of Instagram/@sarashakeel
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s January 2021 Issue