When negatives outweigh the positives in your career, you think about moving on. But what is involved? When you were younger you changed jobs, relationships, and housing frequently. But as you age, transitions become more complicated. Perhaps your decisions impact your family’s work or schooling, or you have greater financial responsibilities that depend on your earnings, or your identity is tied to this job.
Often you feel trapped, but don’t take action either to fix where you are or to move on. So you stay in pain and complain. This pain influences your mental and physical health, your relationships, and your hope. You have choices. They may not be your ideal dream, but there are always choices.
In order to creatively construct solutions for your career distress it’s necessary to be in top shape. Exercise, adequate sleep, socialization, and stress reduction are important. When you aren’t at your best, you become vulnerable to making poor choices and being adversely impacted by tensions around you.
If you work in a demanding environment, it’s almost as if you need to wear protective armor. This armor can consist of your confidence and focus. Holding a clear idea of your values and goals allows you to sort through interferences. Giving yourself the space and cushion to be mindful of your needs and mission allows you to be proactive in meeting them. Every workplace has some stress, dysfunction, and parts we dislike, but you have the power to minimize the hassles you absorb.
Allison Rimm, author of “The Joy of Strategy-A Business Plan for Life” uses the concept of the Joy to Hassle Ratio. She has her clients measure where they stand on any day. If the hassles are overpowering your joy, it’s time to take action.
“If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I’m about to do today? And whenever the answer has been ‘no’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something”
Steve Jobs
That “something” represents a continuum of change ranging from keeping the status quo to finding another job. The vision of walking out the door comes to us when we are fed up. It happens in relationships and work, but impulsively walking out is not recommended. You may ultimately decide to leave, but there are intermediate steps to take before you act.
Amy is in her late 40’s and has practiced the same profession for 20 years. She has worked in different settings and is on an upward career path toward success. But while Amy is excellent at her job and is achieving success by society’s standards, Amy is no longer satisfied with her vocation.
But what can Amy do? Perhaps she can take efforts to create more of what she wants at work. Or if Amy knows she wants something different, she can begin a search and establish networks in that field. She can also prepare herself for a new field through training and volunteering. All of that can be done while still working, but it takes stamina. That’s where personal wellness promotion is vital.
In order to take on new learning and community building, you have to make room in your life. Too many people pile on goals and fail. Unless you let go of some things on your plate, you won’t have the space and energy for anything new. Determining what you can let go of and taking action are essential to success in any new endeavor.
“You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage, pleasantly, smilingly, non-apologetically, to say no to the other things. And the way to do that is by having a bigger ‘yes’ burning inside”
Stephen Covey
If Amy doesn’t know what she wants to do, there are more answers to discover. She can begin an inner journey alone, or with a professional guide, or with trusted friends and colleagues. By getting curious about who she is now…20 years into a career…Amy can analyze the lessons learned about herself.
These are the questions to ask: When are you at your best on the job? What lights you up? What gets you in flow? What do you care about? If you could change something in the world, what issue would you seek out?
Next month we’ll look at what to do with the information you are amassing and what next steps are possible.
When you have one foot out the door:
Test your joy to hassle ratio
Ask yourself some hard questions
Dream about what is missing
Learn from your experiences to date
Determine what information you need
Happy journey and see you on the path!
