Have you ever looked at the clock and wondered if it’s time—not just to go home but to move on? Or perhaps you find yourself counting the minutes until the end of the day, yet it is only 10:02 a.m. Many of us reach a point where our current roles no longer resonate with our evolving values or life circumstances, whether due to family, a desire for new challenges, or the realisation that our daily work no longer fulfils us.
Recognising the need for change
Some of the signs you may notice include:
- Your role no longer resonates with you and your values.
- The passion you once had is now almost diminished.
- Your life circumstances have changed, such as wanting more work-life balance, less time commuting for family, or pursuing other interests.
- You want to do more than you can in your current role and have a desire to work in a role where you can make more of a contribution.
- You want to face new challenges.
Or it may be all of the above. I’ve been there a few times, so let me help you out.
Barriers to change
Someone once gave me the advice, “If it’s not working, change it”. While this may be good advice, it’s often easier said than done. There have been so many times in my life when I knew that there was something I needed to do if I wanted to change where I was. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed by my excuses for not getting to the next step. Let’s examine why we sometimes fail to take action to create change…
- Fear of failure
- Lack of clarity about your goals or the way forward.
- Overwhelm
- Low self-efficacy leading you to doubt your abilities
- Perfectionism
- Challenges with time management
- Wanting to stay in the comfort zone
- Negative past experiences
Now, let’s talk about steps you can take to move past these. As I don’t want this to become a novel, I will pick a few from the list above.
Understand the fear
Several fears can come up when considering your next move. Understanding these can be pertinent to understanding the barriers you are facing.
In her book, “Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway” (1987), Susan Jeffers explains that fears can be categorised into three levels:
- situational surface fears, e.g. fear of public speaking
- internal ego-based fears, e.g. fear of failure, and
- the core fear of being unable to handle life’s challenges.
Recognising that all fears stem from the belief that we can’t cope empowers us to face them confidently, relieving and eliminating the need to control external circumstances. I have created a tool that you can use to firstly categorise your fears and then identify strategies to overcome them. Download Understanding and Overcoming Fears Tool.
Lack of clarity
How do you get clarity when you lack it? Spend some time with the most important person you know—you.
Answer this question: What do you want?
One thing that helps me think through this question is walking. I’m sure from an outsider’s perspective, seeing someone speed up their walking pace while muttering to themselves would be amusing, but it works for me. You could also try journaling, mapping out your thoughts on a page or whiteboard, meditation and/or mindfulness activities, or even talking it out with close friends or family.
Overwhelm
Start small.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by any significant decision, so one strategy for this is to start small. When something seems too complex, once you break it down into small steps, you start to realise that it’s not too bad.
I guarantee you’ve done this before; driving a car is not unlike it. When you first sit in the driver’s seat, you might be pondering everything that could go wrong: how am I going to merge into traffic, how do I remember all the road rules, what do I do if the road is too busy and, of course, those roundabouts, slowing down, changing gears, indicating and watching out for cars to give way.
Small steps: Get in the car, put on your seatbelt, adjust your mirrors, start the engine, and put the car in first gear. I’m sure you get the point by now…
Low self-efficacy
Why do we often believe in others more than we believe in ourselves? Low self-efficacy is the tendency to doubt our own abilities and worth, even when others see our potential. This lack of confidence can keep us from achieving our goals and true potential.
Writing can be an excellent tool for objectively identifying our strengths. We can gain a clearer perspective on our abilities and achievements by putting our thoughts on paper. This practice can help build greater confidence and enhance self-efficacy, ultimately leading to success.
Embracing Change
Embracing change isn’t just about leaving behind what’s familiar; it’s about moving towards a future where you feel fulfilled and valued. Remember, the journey of change is often fraught with challenges, but these are surmountable with the right approach and mindset. Let’s not wait for the perfect moment – it doesn’t exist. Instead, let’s make small, deliberate steps towards the significant changes we seek. By doing so, we enhance our careers and enrich our lives.
In my next article, we will delve into practical strategies to work towards change. For support on your pathway to change, get in touch for a complimentary introductory coaching session.
Change is calling – are you ready to answer?