Take Control, Part 2
After I wrote my previous blog post Take Control, that you can read here, I realized that I only addressed the second half of the following quote I referenced:
“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” - Maya Angelou
In that post, I discussed that we can only truly control three things...our own thoughts, feelings, and actions. We can’t control what others say or do, only how we choose to react to them. So if you can’t change the situation, a reframe might be necessary in order to better cope with a difficult situation.
But what if you CAN change a situation? What if it is totally within your power to make an adjustment that will improve your life in one or more ways? I want to talk about the first part of the quote, that if you don’t like something, change it! I want to revisit the topic of “the comfort zone.” I wrote a blog post awhile back, which you can read here where I talked about my journey of leaving and finding the comfort zone. But I want to dig a little deeper today. I want to dig in and challenge you a bit. Are you in the comfort zone right now? Do you have a good job? Many people I know have good jobs, but they also complain about their good jobs. They complain about the mundane routine. They complain about not being able to manage their own time. They complain about not being appreciated for the work they do. But they stay. They continue to spend 40 plus hours each week in a situation that doesn’t make them happy, bring them fulfillment, or allow them to grow.
So what makes a job “good”? Is it the amount of money you make? Is it the social status of your position? Is it that you make a positive impact on the world around you? Depending upon your personal values, all of these reasons might be reasons to stay in your current career. I think that people fall into the trap of staying too long in jobs because they don’t have a logical reason to leave, or they are afraid they might not be able to find something else. Or maybe they would feel guilty for leaving if they have spent years working towards where they are now. If you have spent four, six, or more years attaining the necessary education required to do the job you are now doing, would it have been a waste to leave? If you have spent 20 years working your way up the corporate ladder to the position you now hold, what will others think if you leave to do something else? These are all concrete, logical ways to evaluate your career. They are things you can list on a pros and cons list. While they are important things to consider when making career decisions and I don’t suggest disregarding them, sometimes you are simply feeling unsettled. It might mean that despite all logic on the surface and all of the outward reasons to stay, you just have a gut feeling that there is more for you somewhere else
I’m not suggesting making a big leap without a plan. I’m not suggesting throwing all logic out the window. That’s where I come in. I have a clear process for helping you determine “what’s next.”
First we assess! This is not a test you need to study for, but it is a thorough career and academic assessment that takes a deep dive into how you process information. It also gives you a wealth of information about nine separate personality traits and interest categories. Not only do you get a full report, but we will spend a good bit of time going over the results and diving deeper into areas of interest and how they fit with your specific profile.
Next we create separate vision statements for each possible career path identified in step 1. What will you be doing? How will you do it? What will it feel like to be in that position? How will this work fit into your life as a whole? This step will require some imagination mixed with research. I want you to talk to people doing the work you might want to do. I want you to try it out on a small basis. I want you to visualize your day working in this position. Which one makes the most sense?
Then we take action! We create a plan of action to make your new vision a reality. Maybe this will require a tweaking of your current work day in order to have a healthier balance between work, family, health and recreation. But maybe your plan of action will require you to make a big leap. Whether a simple adjustment or a big leap (or something in between) we will work together to create the action items, daily habits and routines necessary to reach your goals.
So I challenge you. If something is within your control to change, take control! Make a change! Let’s work together, dig deep, and make a plan for the life you want to live.
