Ready for a career change? If you’ve been miserable in your current job, and the one before, and maybe the one before that, a light bulb might be going off. Maybe it’s not the job. Maybe you need a whole new career.
And then … you stall. Here are 3 reasons you get side-tracked, detoure or worse.
Stall #1: Your inner critic (and the wet blankets you start attracting).
Here’s what happens. You say, “I’m getting a sense that I shouldn’t be working in an office. I’m an active person who was always athletic. I hate being stifled. What am I doing here?”
And the you start a process the psychologists call “rumination.” It’s a very common response to ideas that generate stress. You start thinking of all the reasons you can’t make a change. All the careers you can think of either don’t pay well, call for several more years of education, and/or seem dreary and boring.
So you shrug off the idea. And you do the same with the next and the next.
You’re not alone. I once talked to someone who was scared to start a business. “It must be really stressful,” she said. “All the entrepreneurs I know gain 50 pounds the first year.”
Time for a reality check.
So you turn to your friends. They’re even more negative (so even if you started out positively, you’re quickly headed for doom and gloom.
“Why would you leave this job? You’re earning so much money and your office has a great view.”
“You’ve invested so many years in this profession! Why waste it?”
Don’t be surprised if your wet blanket friends seem to mirror your inner critic. That’s because we tend to hear statements that support our existing beliefs, regardless of what really gets said. As a result, your inner critic and your wet blankets work together to form a sinister team, determined to destroy your dreams before they grow too big.
So what can you do?
– Take as much time off as your schedule and life will allow. Give your brain some downtime.
– Get involved in activities totally unrelated to your job. Activities – not television watching or (my own favorite escape) reading murder mysteries. Meet new people.
– Avoid sharing your dreams in the early stages. They’re too new and too fragile. It’s like forcing an egg to hatch or poking into a cocoon. Share only with people who will respect your dreams, recognizing that some are true inklings of what you might do and others are stepping stones.
– Begin to investigate by getting objective facts. Most books and articles will be outdated; find real people in the field and discuss your ideas as a fellow professional.
– Work with a career consultant or coach. Set up just one or two sessions to start. You may decide you need long-term support, but take the process one step a time.
If you’d like to check out what I offer, see https://midlifecareerstrategy.com/careerstrategysession.html
You can also start with my ebook: Choose Your New Career Without Tests, Assessments Or Crystal Balls.