Musings from Career True North
Need Out of Your Job Now? The Fastest Way is to Slow Down
by Michele Fawcett-Long, Career True North
I've Been There
In 2015 I was in a pickle. I wasn’t happy at work, and I didn’t know what to do with my life.
Just a couple of months before, the hospice where I’d happily worked for 10 years had been shut down in a merger. I was now “lucky” enough to be working for a new and different hospice.
But I was miserable. The loss of my former hospice sat heavy in my chest, and although some of my day-to-day tasks were the same, the culture of the new hospice was very different. I felt like I couldn’t be myself. As I sat at my new desk, bathed in the light of my two huge state-of-the-art computer monitors, I desperately looked for an escape. I wanted out NOW.
The bad news was that there were no other Seattle hospices hiring. I would have to move or else find a new career direction.
Not knowing what else to do, I turned to self-help and started reading Steering by Starlight by Martha Beck. For months, ensconced in my comfy chair, notebook and pen in hand, I worked my way through the exercises in the book. I made friends with my inner lizard, dug out of my dungeon, dreamed, cried, and lived backward. I also talked to friends and did a lot of daydreaming and musing.
The happy ending to the story is that I did eventually find my way. I decided to be a life coach and enrolled in training with none other than Martha Beck. But from the first moment that I stared at my computer monitor in distress until I made my next move, I went through a lot of discernment and false starts. In total it took me 9 months before I was able to start my life coach studies. You could call it my life coaching pregnancy.
Yup, It Takes Time
I’m not the only one who needs time to get clear and make a change. For many people – for almost all of the 100s of people I’ve coached – a major transition like this takes time. Not forever, but usually longer than a weekend. Getting clear about what you really want to do and how to get there takes exploration and evolution.
If you’re stuck in the misery of being in the wrong job, this is probably not at all what you want to hear. Pain stinks, and we humans are programed to try to escape pain as fast as we can.
But here’s the good news – you can do this. Absolutely.
You can find a job that fits.
Just give yourself what you really need – time and support.
But I Don’t Have Time
The irony is that telling yourself that you don’t have time – that you have to figure this out RIGHT NOW – is actually a recipe to keep yourself stuck.
Huh?
Take a look at Monica’s* story. She hated her job and wanted out as soon as possible. She needed a new career direction! Trying to get ideas for other vocations that she could do, she took a week to scroll through job opportunities on Indeed, Glass Door and LinkedIn. She found nothing that seemed either interesting or possible, and she got depressed. She felt like she wasn’t qualified to do anything!
Monica then tried asking her family and friends what they thought she should do. They had lots of ideas – but the ideas seemed more about them than about her. Nothing fit.
So after a couple of weeks, Monica decided she’d run out of time. She was miserable and had to make a move. Not knowing what else to do, she applied for and got a job in another organization, doing the same kind of work she was already doing. Good news, right?
Sadly, Monica was shortly back where she started – unhappy, not knowing what else to do, and wanting out NOW.
Does this sound familiar?
All is Not Lost
There are two things that can change Monica’s story – help and time:
- First, Monica can ask for help. The good news is that Monica can completely change her outcome by enlisting the help of a professional career direction coach. I know, I’m a coach and it really looks like I have a vested interest in saying this. But I’ve seen coaching make a huge difference for people – they create their own success stories. A career coach can help Monica get clear about who she is and see what to do next. The coach will help her see what’s leading to dead ends and help her find fresh perspectives to navigate past obstacles. With guidance and coaching, Monica can discern what’s truly important to her and what careers fit who she really is. And in my own story, although I went the self-help route this time, I’d hired a career coach for the transition before (yes, I’ve changed careers more than once 😊). I remembered and used what he’d taught me.
- Second, along with coaching, Monica can give herself time to truly explore, to learn, to evolve, and to get clear.
Growth and Evolution
Many things worth doing take time. What are some examples in your own life? Planning a wedding? Buying a house? Running a marathon? Learning to play an instrument? Getting in shape? Losing weight? Growing a beautiful garden? Cultivating a deep friendship?
Finding a new career direction that fits you is no exception. It’s an investment of time and resources – and it’s evolutionary. As you show up to your process, you will change and grow along the way. You will learn, make connections, gain insights, and see your way forward. And instead of trying to squeeze yourself into someone’s else job, you can find a career that fits who you really are.
The Pay Off
In my story, my transition took about 9 months. How long do you think this takes for other people? A month? Several months? A year? Several years?
The good news is that with coaching, most people can make a lot of progress within 3-6 months. You’ll be amazed at how fast those months will go, and how much energy you can open up once you are finally able to claim your career path.
Getting Help
You can absolutely do this, and you don’t have to do it alone.
You can download and use my free e-guide Tracking Your True North Career Passions. You can check out other books and videos and do online tests. You can talk to friends and family.
And if self-help leads to dead-ends or you want to make progress more quickly, I’m happy to talk with you about career-direction coaching. I can help every step along the way.
*”Monica’s” name is changed for privacy.
*”Monica’s” name is changed for privacy.