Feeling stuck? Start taking action

Hey friend,

I was reflecting on my career recently and had a realization - the times I've seen the most growth have been the times I took initiative and took action. Maybe this meant making a job or career change or maybe it meant investing in leveling up, but either way, growth always began with me making something happen.

I can remember one particular time in my career where I felt stuck. Things felt stale. I didn't feel as though I was growing and wasn't seeing the career progression I wanted to see.

The tough thing was, I had a lot of equity in the company in the form of options and was afraid if I left, I'd lose out on a huge financial opportunity. Not only that, after being in the same place for so long I started to wonder if I could hack it anywhere else. So I stayed. For years.

I bring this up because of how often I come across the same scenario:

Person has been at company XYZ for 3 or 5 or 8 years. Things were great, and then they stagnated. This person hasn't been promoted in years, feels unappreciated and has no idea what to do. And they don't want to leave because of some attachment to the company or a fear they won't be successful somewhere else.

Now, if this sounds familiar, I'm not suggesting you need to quit your job. Only you can make that decision, and in today's job market, I'm the last person who's going to recommend leaving without a plan B. Rather, this newsletter is going to be about deciding to take action instead of complaining that you're stuck. Because believe it or not, you are the only one who has the power to change things.

And this doesn't just apply to your professional life. This is true in every area.

Whether at work or in your personal life, if you're not happy, taking any action is the best way to start changing your situation. And the best part is, it often causes a ripple effect.

During the time in my life that I described above, I was also in a toxic, abusive relationship. So both my work and home life were causing me a lot of unhappiness and both were chipping away at my confidence.

Finally, it hit me that no matter how hard I tried, I was never going to become a VP at that company. Maybe I didn't like it, but that was just the way it was. And in that moment of clarity, I decided that after 8 1/2 years, I was going to make a change.

Over lunch one day I mentioned to a former boss that I was considering a move and learned about what would become my next opportunity. Long story short, I got the job and was soon in my first VP role.

Now, here's the part most people don't realize. I needed the professional change, but even more than that I needed the culture change and to shake things up in my life as a whole.

This new company was a breath of fresh air. Everyone was incredibly kind, hard-working, and passionate. I immediately connected with a number of my colleagues (who became friends to this day) and felt less alone than I had felt in a long time.

And that's what prompted the next change. Leaving my awful relationship.

You see, by that point in my relationship, I had lost most of my support system. I felt isolated on top of everything else. It was hard to fathom having the strength to leave. But feeling newly energized by my new friends and work environment I gained the strength to do it.

Now, I recognize this is a pretty extreme example, but there are a ton of others I've experienced:

When I think about the growth in my business, I attribute it to a lot of intentional action, from creating a daily routine that allows me to show up as my best self, to investing in coaches and masterminds. Each time I've felt as though I've hit a plateau, I've made an investment and boy, has it paid off.

What could taking action look like for you?

Here are some examples of taking action:

• Feeling helpless in your situation? Start a new exercise routine or pick up running and see how that changes you. You may end up getting that confidence boost you needed.
• Feeling uninspired? Join a peer group, mastermind, or community where you can engage with like-minded people who will push you to think bigger or differently.
• No longer growing in your role? Create your own growth! Enroll in a course or program, or start a book club with your colleagues where you read and discuss books on topics you want to learn about.
• Hit a plateau career-wise? Try taking a big step back and getting clarity on what exactly you want, and what steps you'll need to take to achieve it. A coach or close mentor can help with this.

Feeling stuck is one thing, but feeling stuck and helpless is what gets you in trouble. Check in with how you're feeling today in each area of your life. Growing and learning? Inspired and energized? Awesome! And if there are areas where you don't feel that way, ask yourself what one small change would be that would get you on the track to your desired life.

I also want to say that if you're not up for a big life change, that's okay too. Start small.

Even a baby step can set you in the right direction.

Until next time, friends... ????

Katy

PS. If you're a manager or director who feels like they've hit a plateau, my group program may be just what you need. It kicks off on Wednesday, May 8th and after that you'll have to wait until September to join. Want to learn more? Send me a DM or book a call with me here.