Knowing When to Stand Up or Step Out of Your Career.

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Just because you can, doesn't mean you should...stay.

I was talking to my mother this week about the differences between being good at our jobs and doing what we love. It was an interesting discussion on the lies, or justifications if you will, as to why we stay in certain jobs for longer than we know we should, or why we convince ourselves of the work that we are doing when it no longer feels right for us.

If you are one of those types of people who have varied interests or enjoy trying different things, you may not be immune to this. You can still find yourself in this category if you have a history of bouncing between jobs and now want to create more stability.

That said, what about when the job isn’t the right fit, or further more - isn’t your calling? What do you do in those circumstances? How do you even know?

I found myself in this same scenario, as did my mother at one point in her life, where we convinced ourselves that we were on the right path because we were pretty good at it! There’s nothing wrong with being pretty good at anything, but what if you decide that you want to make a pivot or a change in direction. How do you know where to begin?

It can feel daunting (and scary) to think about changing.

What if you aren’t correct in your inclination?

What if this is another one of those wrong turns that you took?

How do you know that you aren’t making a huge mistake and giving up something that you are good at in search of the next shiny object?

So, I wanted to touch on that bit, because I feel it is an important topic to broach, especially as we start to get more seasoned in our careers. Having an established career does take work, but what if we have been convincing ourselves it is the right path simply because it’s convenient, or worse off we are paralyzed by the fear of failure?

Fear is a huge aspect of all of this, but to move beyond that is an interesting notion of self-discovery and recognition of what we truly LOVE doing! I spoke last week about incorporating more of your heart into your leadership and using it in ways to bring greater emotional intelligence. What if you could listen to your heart in a way that taught you more about your bigger dreams and goals?

Too often we stay stuck in careers that are no longer serving us simply because we have convinced ourselves that we are foolish to walk away. How often do we stay in situations that aren’t right or in alignment with our higher calling, core values, and big goals simply because we are too afraid to take the leap?

Granted there is greater psychosis that could be examined here, but when it comes to our work we make huge sacrifices with the notion that we are doing the right or respectable thing. You may be risk averse, but it doesn’t mean you can’t pivot. It took me 5 years to finally make the big leap - 5 years of planning, education, and certifications, building up a client base, etc. to finally say “YES” to my big dreams.

It wasn’t just about the work, either. It was about everything. The life I wanted to lead, the freedom I wanted to make my own decisions, the ability to homeschool my son, the flexibility to plan my day, and the ability to work spoke to my deeper calling to help others recognize their full potential.

Going back to staying stuck in our lives...

I didn’t want to watch my life disintegrate before my eyes until I just went out like a candle. I went through too much in my life for that. I survived horrific abuse that had taught me that horrible lesson of what staying can do to your mind and your soul, let alone your physical body. Staying in a toxic work environment because you are afraid to leave isn’t much different. You will not get a reward for staying the longest, but you will get a reward for betting on yourself and your dreams.

Only you know the life you want to carry, the dreams you hold inside, the silent calling that speaks to you. If it is calling you, then I hope you can hear me when I say that the reward is YOUR life! It’s your life!

More than a title, a plaque, a bonus….it’s your life! The ability to enjoy it and love what you do and how you spend your time.

When I started to look forward at the life I was leading, I knew that it wasn’t the path I was intended to stay on. This isn't to say it was a mistake, because it wasn’t….being a designer and engineer taught me more about myself than I ever knew was possible. I grew stronger as a person and realized that I was capable of so much more than I gave myself credit. That was the learning.

The next key was understanding what I was going to do with that learning. How was I going to apply it in a way that satisfied my sense of purpose and fulfilled that greater mission to help others? It was so key that I stood up for my dreams, because if you have ever experienced having someone take them from you, steal your confidence and value, then you know just how precious our dreams are. It doesn’t have to be a loved one, there are things in our life that teach us things and they may only be intended for a season.

What is the season of your life right now?

What season are you moving into?

What do you want more of in your life??? Time, freedom, love, joy, abundance?

Think about what your next move will bring you and if the path you are currently on is going to take you there.

If it isn’t, then start planning now. Start thinking now of how you can attain those next-level goals. Time waits for no one. We are seeing the impact of our lives in the hands of corporations, only we can prepare ourselves for plans A, B, and C. Only you have that power so that if you aren’t seeing the fruits of your labor taking you in the direction you want to go, then you can develop new paths to get there.

You aren’t stuck. You aren’t alone. Millions of others experience the same concerns and questions, but each of us is unique and holds incredible dreams. If you only are willing to stand and fight for them and yourself.

What do you believe keeps you stuck from following your future goals and big dreams?

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