Don’t Self-Sabotage Your Career Change. Release the Pressure.

Scene: A rockstar high-performer who’s felt pretty stuck at work and wants to take back control of their career finds themselves on a 45-minute Career Strategy Session with me to figure out where they’re getting stuck and next steps.

High-performer: I really want to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life.

Me: That’s awesome that you’re at a stage where you really want to take back control of your career.

High-performer: Yeah! If I can just figure out what to do for the rest of my life, what that one perfect thing is, I’ll be good.

Me: [thinks to herself: ah ha!]

High-performer: I want to figure out exactly what I want to be doing. So I can have that goal and never think about this question or feel dissatisfied at work ever again. Can we do that? I’d really like to figure out the rest of my entire life.

Me: [smiles and goes into dropping some truth bombs]

?

Turns out, it doesn't work like that.

Saying “Hey, right here, right now, I'm going to figure out the rest of my career, the rest of my life,” it's way too much pressure.

And what that pressure can do, if you don't address it and release it right at the beginning of a career change or job search, it can destroy your creativity and your openness and willingness to explore (which is a must have in this process).

And without that creativity, willingness to try some different things and explore this entire process that comes with releasing that pressure…

It's going to take you longer to figure out what exactly your ideal career looks like. And it's going to take you a lot longer to find it - to design and build towards it.

Taking back control of your career and finding work that lights you up, it's an iterative process.

You have many possible best selves.

There are numerous experiences that would allow you to feel fulfilled, happy, and engaged in your career.

Not just one.

Chasing, searching for, and following the one passion upon which to rest your entire life and career will never work.

Your ideal career is something you’ll constantly to refine and revisit as you move on throughout your career.

So release the pressure.

Stop getting in your own way of finding work you actually wake up excited to do.

[PS Getting in your own way. It’s totally a thing. And almost all high-performers do it.]  

Start where you are.

You’re looking for the next decision, the next step.

Not the best one. Not the perfect one. The next best decision.

Take a deep breath.

Release the pressure.

You don't have to figure this all out in the next couple of days or weeks.

But you can learn the skills and strategies to be able to get started to find that best next decision, to take that next best step and continue to refine and build toward work you’re actually excited about.

That’s how you take back control of your career.

Here are 20 Things Successful Career Changers Do Differently to Find Work They Love.

Looking for a little inspiration or one of the books you’ll ever read about taking back control of your career?

I highly recommend these books. They have heavily influences my own career, as well as my approach to coaching and helping high-performers build careers they're proud of and are excited about:

Designing Your Work Life or Designing Your Life both by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans.

Until next week,

Erin

PS. Hey! I’m Erin Allett. I am a Career Coach and Gallup-trained Strengths Coach. I’m also the Owner of Allett Career Coaching, where my sole focus is helping high-performers in their 30s (or quickly approaching!) get out of the wrong job into a career they’re excited about work - work that lights them up - without starting over and an entry level job.

I’ve been there and know it sucks. And I’d love to help your career change and job search not feel as confusing and overwhelming as mine did. Get started by joining the FREE What Am I Good At? 5-day mini course.

Or grab some time on my calendar for your 45-minute Career Strategy Session.