“To every man there comes a time in his lifetime, that special moment when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered that special chance to do a very special thing, unique to him and fitted to his talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified to do the work which could have been his finest hour.” – Winston Churchill
At some point in our lives we begin to question whether we are where we should be. Is this career role making us happy or just paying the bills? However, we are faced with the dilemma of the time it has taken us to get to this point in our careers; the education cost and years of honing our craft, the diligent work and overtime it has cost us in climbing up the corporate ladder.
Are we ready to destroy this all to start over in something NEW? Or would we do all the sacrifice again because we are exactly where we should be?
This decision making process can be agony. We need to consider the impact on our families and friends. We need to recognize that this step can lead to a whole new learning and growth curve and at times can cause great strain and sacrifice. Not to mention the stable income you may be giving up for a dream. It may mean more education and in some cases leaving all you have and starting in a new province or country. We need to think is the gain of the outcome greater than the pain of the shift time it will take, keeping in mind that this may be a few years.
Step 1: Tell someone about your thoughts. Lean on a friend or professional that can assist you in analyzing whether you are simply stuck in a rut and need more responsibility in your current work or whether you truly are searching for a complete change. Let them help you make appropriate choices on research, time setting on exit strategies for your old role and a way to move into a new role.
If you have decided that change is what you want then I suggest making sure your know yourself. Take the time to explore who you are. What makes you happy? The time it takes to understand your strengths in character is significantly different from your strengths in the work place. You may have this dream of saving children in operating rooms however if the sight of blood makes you queasy you may not be able to accomplish this task AND it is probably not the new role you are looking to move into.
Step 2: Make a list of what others believe your strengths to be. Divide them into columns (character strengths and abilities). Then create a new list and divide this into three columns. They are titled: What do I like, what am I qualified for, and what other abilities I possess. What are your lists telling you? Are you a people person, an organizer, or a writer? This exercise can help you find the direction.
Take the time to investigate all the possibilities. Do your due diligence and make sure you are aware of all the new education pieces, time, energy and finances you will require to move forward with your desires.
On a final note I would like to remind you that your current role has served you to this point and the best way to leave a position or career is on positive terms. Create your exit strategy! Be fair both to yourself and your employer.
Step 3: Make sure you have enough funds to see you through the transition period. Ensure that you have both the time and energy to devote to this new career. And make your current employer aware of your change and assist their transition in training a new employee as best you can.
Change is brilliant! The secret to a successful change is planning it all the way through.
Anna Ottaviani is a Board Certified NLP Master Practitioner & Master Coach, Board Certified Master Hypnotherapist,Creating Your Future® , Time Line® Therapist Practitioner and Reiki Master. Her methods are unique and tailored to each individual client. She can be reached at www.sucessfullyyou.ca or by phone at 289-221-5772. You can follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/successfullyyou?ref=ts&fref=ts