|
Changing Careers? How to Get Around the Three Major Mental Roadblocks to Success
A part of you can't wait to dive into your new career -- but you're also smart enough to know that you can expect a few bumps along the road to success. By far, the biggest roadblocks exist between your own two ears!
Let's take a look at three common mental roadblocks and learn how to overcome them.
ROADBLOCK No. 1: Wishful Thinking
How many times have you wished you'd hit the lottery? Now, how many times have you actually won the lottery? Far too many people spend far too much time wishing when they should be dreaming.
So, what's the difference between wishing and dreaming?
Wishing is passive. We wish for things over which we have little or no control. We wish we were taller or thinner. We wish the waiter would hurry up. We wish our boss wasn't so [you fill in the blank].
The other thing about wishes is that they are often tinged with regrets about past decisions -- both big and small. We wish we'd ordered the fish instead of the chicken. We wish we'd taken the other job. We wish we hadn't let the love of our life get away.
Dreaming is different. For one, a dream is active. Unlike wishes, we can actually do something about a dream. After all, you don't "wish up" a plan, you dream one up!
You may not get everything you dream of getting, but two things are certain:
1. It doesn't take a single extra ounce of energy to dream big than it does to settle.
2. You've got a lot more to gain by shooting high than by shooting low.
ROADBLOCK No. 2: What If Everyone Thinks You're Crazy?
You've probably already thought about the people you can count on to support your plan to create a more meaningful work/life. But have you also taken stock of those you should make a point NOT to turn to?
Unless you come either from money or from a long line of pioneers, you may not get the support you want from your family. With the best of intentions, you may find your dream of quitting your job to pursue your dream career met with advice to "play it safe," reminders that "you're lucky to have a good job," or a lecture on the seemingly insurmountable odds standing between you and success.
No matter how old you are, or how much you deny it, family approval does matter. Which, of course, makes it all the more painful when the people we love fail to give us the emotional green light we so desperately seek.
Other people's fear, skepticism, and negativity can be as contagious as the flu. And unless you've built up your immune system, these dream stompers can knock you for a loop -- especially when they are right in your own family.
You have two choices. You can either continue to turn to these naysayers in hopes that they'll respond differently -- or, you can choose the saner path of acceptance.
Don't look for support from people whose life experiences have not prepared them to give it fully. Instead, take advantage of the support that really is available.
ROADBLOCK No. 3: Fear of Change
The closer you come to leaving the security of your 9-to-5 job (no matter how much you want out) the greater your level of excitement and trepidation (see "Word to the Wise," below).
Anyone who has ever ventured out of their safe little world will tell you they had doubts. But when it comes to making a major life change, not only is a certain amount of fear perfectly normal, it's actually helpful. For example, it's our healthy fears that keep us from jumping off cliffs. And the great thing about fear is that there are ways to get around it.
So, try laughing in the face of fear. Am I kidding? No. Ridiculing your fears is actually a very effective technique for banishing them -- because the mind rejects that which it considers absurd.
The trick is to turn your fears into a ridiculous event in your mind. That way, you allow your natural human reaction to absurdity to take over and dismiss them.
Try it yourself. Take your biggest fear and take it to extremes. Really exaggerate it. Let's say you're paralyzed by the fear of failure. Try picturing your entire family, all of your friends, your neighbors, everyone you went to high school with, even your boss, standing outside your cardboard-box home holding up signs that read: "We Told You So!"
Pretty ridiculous, right? When you realize that your worst-case fantasy is just that -- a fantasy -- what felt overwhelming will now feel much more manageable.
Another way to manage the fear of venturing out on your own is to start small. If the thought of just up and quitting your day job frightens you, start building your client base on the side. Begin with low-risk steps and gradually work your way up to the harder stuff.
Remember, courage is not a matter of losing your fear so you can take action; courage comes from taking action. And that, in turn, helps you overcome your fear. When you can act despite your fears, you will be rewarded many times over. "Off the beaten career path" consultant, Valerie Young, abandoned her corporate cubicle to become the Dreamer in Residence at http://www.ChangingCourse.com, offering free resources to help you discover your life mission and live it. Her career change tips have been cited The Wall Street Journal, USA Today Weekend, Redbook, Entrepreneur's Business Start Ups, and on-line at MSN, CareerBuilder, and iVillage.com. An expert on the Impostor Syndrome, she's presented her How to Feel as Bright and Capable as Everyone Seems to Think You Are program to thousands of people.
MORE RESOURCES:
Jobs City of Rochester (.gov)
Careers Washington State University
Work With Us National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
JobFeed NSW Department of Education
Jobs Dublin City University
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
3 Creative Job Search Tactics
It's a fact: the best jobs attract loads of competition. So it pays to do whatever you can to stand out as a persistent, creative candidate, one that any sane employer would love to hire.
Pre-Interview Web Research
You have obtained an interview -- congratulations! You feel prepared to discuss your strengths, your accomplishments, your willingness to work hard and learn quickly, and your ability to fit seamlessly into the employer's needs. But.
What You Cant Ask a Job Candidate is as Important as What You Can Ask
As a human resources professional or business owner, you face many challenges during the hiring process, from sorting through stacks of job applicant résumés to making an attractive offer to the one person you believe best matches the specifications of your open position's job description. The whole procedure is more than time-consuming; it can be stressful as well.
When Should You Update Your Job Skills?
With the U.S.
How To Start Your Own House Cleaning Business
If you are thinking about starting your own house cleaning business, begin by evaluating your present circumstances. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but how you reply will affect what you do.
Switching Careers - 7 Key Steps
Are you thinking about switching careers? If you are, you're not alone. Most Americans switch careers three times in their lifetime.
Change Your Career, Change Your Life
Change Your Career,Change your Life!Lots of times I see and talk to people whoare tired, bored and burnt out of their currentjobs. I'm not sure what causes this dis-satisfaction.
How To Find A Telecommute Job
The answer may be easier than you think, but there's a catch.The truth is that you find a telecommute job just like you find any other job- with research, persistence and a bit of job search savvy.
Assess Your Transferable Skills
One of the most important parts of a job search is assessing your Transferable skills. These are skills which you can use in other jobs such as: Communication, Information Management, Human Services, Managerial, Manual/Physical Labour, Personal Attributes, Organization.
3 Questions No Job Seeker Ever Wants To Be Asked?
Employer and interviewers expect you to answer tough question during interviews. Take a few minutes to brainstorm on how you might elaborate on the following answers.
Career Search from Within
Seeking meaningful and fulfilling work can become a discouraging, confusing and overwhelming journey. Beware spending too much time looking for your answers outside of yourself.
Workplace 911
I've watched a few episodes of Nanny 911 and with the chaos, out of control children and seemingly irreparable behavior, it strikes me as a precursor to Workplace 911. No, not a new reality TV show, but everyday workplace problems.
How To Get Promoted - Take Control Of Your Destiny!
It Is Up To YouSo, you want to get promoted. The possibility really lies in your own hands.
Waiting for Lightening to Strike
Author and management guru, Peter Drucker says, "People adjust to the level of demands made on them." I would add, we also adjust to the level we demand of ourselves.
Common Résumé Mistakes
Using a general résumé.DON'T DO IT! You cannot successfully use the same résumé to apply to several different jobs.
How to Success On The Job from Job Hunting to Keep Your Job and Get Most of Out of It
INTRODUCTIONThis article will prepare you for the difficult task of job hunting. Not only will it show you how to get a job but it will show you how to keep your job and get the most out of it.
Retirement: Is It A Career Change Option?
Retirement might be the answer when you ask yourself "why do I want to make a career change" and you decide that what you actually want is not so much a career change as to stop what you've been doing altogether.This may be a good choice for some - those who can afford it - but not necessarily the right choice for all.
20 Questions That Helped Me Take A Leap Of Faith And Change Careers
When I was working more than 45 hours a week in a job with a two hour commute each day, the challenge of a new husband, new step children, two beagle dogs and maintaining a home was more than a stretch! Something had to give, and unfortunately I was the one starting to not be able to hold it together!It was a Catch 22 situation. We had an expensive home near the city center with large mortgage costs, which demanded feeding through joint incomes.
Seven Steps to Making a Successful Career Change
My first job was secretary to Moses. Having to transcribe and make 2,430 copies of the Ten Commandments convinced me I was on the wrong career path! OK, maybe I'm not quite THAT old.
What You Should Know About A Medical Billing Specialist
Whether you are a person who is thinking about becoming a medical billing specialist or a company looking for a medical billing specialist, then this article is for you. There are several things that you should be aware of in the medical billing industry and I will walk you through them so that you will have the background information that you need to help you make a decision that will best suit your needs.
|