Lately I have been coaching many people who are dissatisfied in their careers. Why? Well, most have either peaked or plateaued in their chosen profession, or they are experiencing some level of dissatisfaction in their current job or career due to political situations at work, changes in their job and/or work environment, or something else. Others are simply tired of what they are doing and are ready to move on.
Can you answer any of the following questions with a YES?
Are you pigeonholed in your career?
Do you ever feel stuck in your current role?
Have you been doing the same thing (as in a job or career) for 5, 10, or more years?
Life does not stand still. Life is a growing experience, which by definition, involves change. Once you grow, it changes who you are and you are no longer the same person, and when that happens sometimes the old mold no longer fits. By the same token, without change and growth in your life, and when you are not learning new things, you become stagnated. And many times this stagnation occurs within the context of a career.
It’s at this point that many people turn to a career coach for help. Usually the options come down to: 1) a career change (which can be a drastic move), 2) changing jobs or finding a new track within the same career, and/or 3) finding other ways to grow as a person.
So if a career change isn’t possible for you right now, how can you otherwise grow as a person?
One way is to learn a new challenging hobby. Take up karate, sailing, tennis, chess, or flying lessons.
Another way is to get out and meet new people. Go to networking groups within or preferably outside of your career field and introduce yourself to others. Ask others about themselves. When you meet new people, they don’t know who you know or what you are capable of. Networking is a valuable skill and you never know when a new network will come in handy.
Tomorrow – more on networking and also what happens when you are pigeonholed in a career.
So what about you? Did you answer YES to any of the above questions?
I would love to hear your stories!
Good and simple advice!
Thank you Vanessa!
Hi Karen,
I have no stories per se to share in this regard because I am always involved in several projects at once but I am sort of in your situation now with a lot of people asking me for advice on how to start writing careers and the like. I am wondering whether to turn it into a new business venture or not.
Great post because I find I often have to drill most of this into people’s heads and make them aware of the reality of how hard it can be to have your own business.
Cheers, Marisa
Hi Marisa – if people are naturally coming to you for advice, you should by all means turn that into a business venture! It indicates a need for a product or service in that area. Go for it!
Great advice, Karen.
Another approach- one that may even pay dividends- is to rethink your job. No, not repurpose, recall your thoughts from the way-back machine. Think how you felt when you first landed this job or were promoted to this position. How excited you were. What you were going to do. Have you lost that excitement? Get it back for today- see what happens differently. Or, if you have not done what you thought- why not? If there’s an impediment- rethink that obstacle. Take yourself OUT of the box.
Crush the day and enjoy your stay.
Great advice Roy! Thank you so much. Ironically your advice here (about finding your original excitement regarding a job) parallels that of John Gray, author of “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus.” He talks about going back to the beginning of your relationship and treating your partner in the way that you did right after you first met (in the “honeymoon” phase of the relationship). The same holds true about a job you’ve held for awhile. Thanks for the great advice!
I’ve been a teacher for two decades and am very much in a place where I want to make a change though it is scary especially when you don’t know what else to do as you’ve done this all of your life…
Hi Marian,
I can completely and totally understand that!
Karen