Independence Day: The Perfect Day to Free Yourself From Your Job

Happy Independence day from beautiful Cape Cod! I'm able to enjoy the 4th, 5th and 6th of July from the beach because I have freed myself from a situation that was no longer working for me. I chose freedom over security. What about you? Why are you still hanging onto a job that no longer gives you freedom or pleasure?

Many of you may not know that I have coaching clients who hire me using their own funds. They do this for a number of reasons including the fact that their organization does not support their growth. As a result, they've decided to take back control of their life, which is actually a good thing. Here's why.

When someone hires me and pays for my services, they are my buyer as opposed to a client whose firm is paying the bill. This means I can provide them with an unfiltered view as to what is going on in their organization and make recommendations which may include telling them the time has come for them to leave their job. We then work together to develop an exit strategy that will enable them to regain their freedom. Here are some signs that I often see that tells me it's time for people to let go.

The company is cutting resources rather than investing in growth. You cannot cut your way to growth, although many companies still have not learned this lesson. These companies generally go out of business or are acquired as a result of a fire sale. As a result, those who have been hanging on by their fingertips quickly find themselves discarded. You have much more negotiation power when you are employed than when you are unemployed. Keep this in mind the next time you receive a memo from the CEO saying that the free coffee you've grown accustomed to drinking is no longer free. That's a big sign that something big is brewing and most likely that thing isn't good.

You hate getting up for work every morning. Your body is able, yet your mind is not willing to go back to work after the weekend and face yet another day with people you loathe. Yet here you sit. You need to find work that enables you to find joy in your life again. This may mean changing departments or leaving the company or even the industry. What you don't get to do is stay and make everyone in your family unhappy because you are so miserable.

You've become a whiner. Yes, you are that guy or gal you swore you've never become. People ask you how your job is going and you go into full whiner mode. So much so, that you don't even realize that the person who asked walked away mid-conversation. No one likes a whiner. Don't be this guy or gal.

Your dream has turned into a nightmare. You took this job because it was your dream job. Only it turned out to be a nightmare. You've been hanging on because you think things will get better. It's been 10 years and nothing has changed. It's time to wake up and depart.

I know change is hard for people. That's why they hire a coach like me. I'm right by their side guiding them, as they move towards their independence. Sometimes that means helping them exit and finding another job and other times it means helping them achieve their dream of becoming an entrepreneur.

On this day of giving thanks for our freedom, I'd like to suggest that unlike our forefathers, no one is shooting at you. Make today the day you declare your independence and live the life that others have fought for us to have. And if I can help you live your dream, please don't hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected]. Happy 4th!

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