You can’t make a living doing something you love
Taking the leap and turning your passion into a business doesn’t have to be an unrealistic fantasy.
With hard work, dedication and guidance from mentors in the same field, you can achieve success with what you love doing most.
After getting many discouraging words about my dream of resume writing & coaching, I chose instead to find those who had succeeded in that industry for advice on how they did it—and here I am today!
Don’t let fear stand between yourself and happiness; go out there and make something amazing happen!
You can’t have a good career in a tough job market
Despite what economic news reports and articles suggest, there are still plenty of job opportunities out there.
It’s up to you – the job seeker- to be proactive and take advantage of them.
Shaking off outdated methods is key in finding success today; while traditional approaches may have their place, it takes a certain level of adaptability to stay competitive amidst ever changing market conditions.
Instead of getting discouraged by current events, remain optimistic that your ideal career awaits!
With some determination and effort on your part, securing gainful employment can become reality no matter where the economy stands right now.
Changing careers means you have to start all over
For many people, changing careers can feel like leaving a part of their identity behind. After all, our careers are often a large part of how we see ourselves and how others see us.
When we meet someone new, one of the first questions we often ask is “what do you do?” and for many of us, our career is a big part of our answer.
So it’s no wonder that making a career change can feel like a daunting task. Are you making a mistake? Are you unsure of what’s next? Will you be successful?
Interestingly, research shows that successful career changers often don’t have a plan. In fact, waiting until you have a plan is actually riskier than just taking a chance.
As Herminia Ibarra writes in her book Working Identity: How Successful Career Changers Turn Fantasy into Reality, “Nothing, absolutely nothing, is riskier than not changing careers if you’re longing to do so.”
If you’re considering a career change, don’t let the fear of the unknown hold you back.
The longing for something different won’t go away on its own, and as Ibarra’s research shows, taking action is the best way to turn your fantasy into reality.
Career success only happens with a back-up plan
When it comes to pursuing our dreams, it is often advised that we have a back-up plan.
After all, failing to plan is planning to fail, right? While there is certainly some truth to this statement, I believe that having a back-up plan can actually do more harm than good.
When we have a back-up plan, we are effectively telling ourselves that we don’t believe that we can succeed.
This can lead to us putting in less effort than we otherwise would, which in turn leads to diffused results.
Pursuing our dreams with everything we’ve got is the only way to find out if we can be successful.
Sure, there is always a risk of failure, but isn’t that better than living with the regret of never having tried at all?
There’s a perfect job out there for everyone
Job hunting can be a tough and stressful process, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for.
It can be difficult to find a job that matches your skills and interests, and it can be even harder to find one that pays well.
However, it’s important to remember that there is no such thing as a perfect job. There are countless jobs out there that would be a good fit for you, and it’s important to keep your eyes open for them.
You may have already passed by a few perfect opportunities, so don’t let it happen again.
Keep searching and you’ll eventually find the right job for you.
“What’s the best thing for me to do?” is the right question
This question “What’s the best thing for me to do?” is one that many people ask when they are considering a career change.
On the surface, it seems like a logical question to ask. After all, wouldn’t you want to weigh the pros and cons of each option and choose the one that will give you the best possible outcome?
However, this is not usually the best question to ask yourself if you are looking for guidance.
All too often, asking “what’s the best thing for me to do?” leads to feeling overwhelmed with options or like you have to choose between what seems practical and what you really want.
The better question to ask yourself is “What do I really want to do?”
This question will lead you to answers that are more in line with your true desires, rather than what seems like the best option on paper.
You’re in the wrong career if you don’t like your job
When making a major life decision, it is important to be honest with yourself about what you really want.
It’s not always easy to tell if you’re in the right career. After all, there are many factors that go into a fulfilled and successful career.
While it’s true that one way to gauge whether or not you’re on the right path is by how much you enjoy your day-to-day work, it’s important to remember that this is just one small part of the larger picture.
Other important factors to consider include whether you feel challenged and engaged by your work, whether you have a strong support system in place, and whether you feel like you’re making a positive impact.
No single factor can provide a complete picture, but taken together, they can give you a better sense of whether or not you’re on the right track.
So if you’re feeling dissatisfied with your current situation, don’t be too quick to write it off as a sign that you’ve made the wrong career choice.
It could be that you just need to make some changes in your current situation in order to find fulfillment.
Career success needs a mission statement
A career mission statement is supposed to guide us and keep us on track, but what if you don’t have one? Does that mean you’re destined to never fulfill your potential career-wise?
I was contacted by a successful professional who was at a career crossroads and wanted to find her mission in life, so she could also find her right career path.
Instead, when the client decided to shift her focus from finding her mission to living her life; not long after, an amazing opportunity came her way and she pursued it.
So here’s a tip, if your career mission statement is elusive, stop chasing it.
Be still and let it find you and until then, keep living your life and see what happens.
You might be surprised at what opportunities come your way.
You will experience a career epiphany
- When you see a link to “Find Your Dream Job,” do you immediately click on it to see what’s there?
- Do you look at every “Top Ten Career” list out there to see if anything catches your attention?
- Do you know your MBTI type?
If you do, you might be falling prey to the career epiphany myth and a career epiphany sounds amazing in theory.
You have this one sudden, world-changing moment where you finally know exactly what you’re supposed to do with the rest of your life.
It’s like the universe reached down and tapped you on the shoulder, giving you the answer to all of your deepest career questions. Unfortunately, for most people, this simply isn’t reality.
A successful career is more about continual discovery than it is about one big epiphany.
There will be pokes and prods from the universe, but it’s up to you to listen carefully and take note of what they’re telling you.
By following your internal whispers and taking note of what makes you happy and fulfilled, you can slowly piece together the puzzle of your dream job.
It might not happen in one sudden moment, but it will be worth the journey.
Career dissatisfaction goes away over time
At some point in their career, everyone begins to question whether they made the right choice.
For some people, this questioning leads to a exciting new path full of possibilities.
However, for others, the fear of making a change can be crippling. If you find yourself stuck in a job you no longer enjoy, it’s important to take a step back and examine your fears.
What exactly are you afraid of?
- Taking a pay cut?
- Going back to school?
- Making a change late in your career?
Once you identify your fears, you can begin to address them head-on.
Perhaps you’ll decide that the potential rewards of a new career are worth the risks. Or maybe you’ll realize that your current situation isn’t as bad as you thought.
Either way, examining your fears is the first step to making a change.
