3 More Career Lessons From Obie, the Formerly Obese Dachshund

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Remember Obie, the dachshund who used to weigh 77 pounds? Well, he's still going strong, having lost over 50 pounds. His journey is inspirational, not just for pet lovers, but for anyone who's ever had to struggle through tough times. In short, there's a lot we can learn from this little dog. Here are three more reasons why Obie should be your career spirit animal.

May 5, 2014

Remember Obie, the dachshund who used to weigh 77 pounds? Well, he’s still going strong, having lost over 50 pounds. His journey is inspirational, not just for pet lovers, but for anyone who’s ever had to struggle through tough times. In short, there’s a lot we can learn from this little dog. Here are three more reasons why Obie should be your career spirit animal.

Obie

(Obie, before and after, via his Facebook page)

1. You can change your life.

Do You Know What You're Worth?

How often have you daydreamed about a different job or even a whole different career, only to shake yourself awake after a few minutes and think, “Well, I made a different choice”?

As the old saying goes, it’s never too late to be what you might have been. Changing careers isn’t easy. You might need to invest time and money, and you’ll certainly have to do your research to determine the best path for you. But if you’re willing to make both the big leap and the hundreds of tiny steps necessary to make a change, you can make it happen.

2. It’s all about good fit.

Obie’s original owners were elderly, and couldn’t stand to “say ‘no’ to those big brown eyes.” They clearly loved him, but they couldn’t take care of him. Obie’s new owner, Nora Vanatta, is a veterinary tech with the knowledge and ability to connect with other medical professionals that Obie needed to get healthy. In other words, she’s a good fit for him.

Sometimes, it’s not that your job is terrible, it’s that it’s a terrible job for you. Career counselors sometimes describe this lack of fit as trying to write with your left hand, when you’re right-handed. If your career or company is a bad fit for your personality, you’ll need to make a change in order to be happy.

3. What you do every day matters the most.

To get healthier or change your working life, you need to do a little bit every day. No one loses 50 pounds overnight; neither do they forge a new career path in a day, or a week, or a month.

Persistence is the key, if you want to succeed like Obie.

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