3 Things That Keep Us Stuck in our Careers

I despise clichés, especially when they’re wrapped up in a bow as a solution.  The one that I keep seeing lately that makes me want to pull a Kanye is, “you just gotta push through.” UGH.  Just. Stop. Talking. We don’t get UNSTUCK by adopting the “push through” mindset.  We propel by intentionally processing our emotions AND reimagining possibilities based on information (data that shows alternative outcomes aka we don’t have to stay stuck, there are other options!).  Based on my own lived experiences, what I’ve seen in the workforce & what my clients have share when they start their journey with me as their Coach, here’s the 3 Things That Keep You Stuck in a Career that no longer serves you (but it can apply to other parts of our lives too!).

1. Overthinking - you know you’re no longer happy in that job, but you complicate making a move by overthinking your options & outcomes. There are really only 3 career moves you can make at any given time.  Join today’s free training to learn more! 
2. Overwhelm - we get overwhelmed by the process of making a career move. “Finding a job is a FT job.” No. It’s not. It’s really easy.  There’s a process & if you work with an expert or do some research, you’ll learn the shortcuts.  The rest is just practice (interviewing becomes easy after a few rounds).  I’m going to teach this process soon in the upcoming Next, Dream Job Group Coaching Series (sign up for the wait list HERE).
3. Overachieving - we stay in jobs, teams & organizations we’ve outgrown OR where we’re miserable because we think we have to DO MORE, get the next title, make more money, prove something to someone.  It’s that #firstgen urge to “prove our worth.”  

 You’re worthy already. You don’t have to keep proving it to anyone, especially not yourself or your family.  Definitely  not that employer who's undervaluing & underpaying you.

So, if you’re at a point in your career where you already know this isn’t it OR you’ve started to hear the whispers, if you've been on a loop with these 3 Things that Keep You Stuck in a Career, here are some steps you can take to propel to that next, dream job:

1. Take Action - Instead of overthinking, about the different possibilities, explore your options by taking action!  Start with some market research. Based on your experiences, skills, talents, interests, etc. what are some next career options? Glassdoor has a cool section - “Career Path” where you can see how to become “enter ideal career” AND if you enter your current job, it gives related careers based on skills overlap. You’re probably wondering, "Won’t all these options lead to more overthinking?” No. Once you take action, you’ll stop deliberating over nonsense.  You’ll instead start to process your options, one step at a time.
2. Chunk the Process - if you’re getting overwhelmed by what it’ll take to make a career move, start with small steps.  I recommend you start with the one that overwhelms you the most (eat the frog!) because once you master that part, you’ll fly through the rest of the process. For example, many of my former clients have struggled with talking about themselves & what they have to offer in an interview.  You know every recruiter & hiring manager is going to ask you, “Tell me about yourself!” (usually followed up with "and why are you interested in X company, Y job? but don’t even worry about that yet).  So, start crafting your pitch! Doing that might give you more clarity about what you want to do next! Then practice it out loud. Record it in a voice memo, listen & re-record until it you sound confident (I have clients do this & though it's hella awkward, they show up way more polished to an interview as a result.)
3. Think Quality - instead of working more toward another goal, pause to reflect on this question:  “What is the quality of life that will brings me joy?” If the answer is more time to  spend with loved ones, then don’t raise your hand for that new project, don’t say yes to being on another board, don’t pursue more money because the trade off is likely your time. How much money is actually enough before it starts to compromise the things you say you value?  This dissonance will keep you stuck, so be very honest about this.  If you think it’s time bound - I’ll only work this much this year to build wealth for my family - take a cautionary look at your assumptions.  Time is the only non-negotiable currency; be mindful of the trade offs you make in the pursuit of achievement.

And of course, if you find yourself really stuck & too overwhelmed to try any of the above, hire a Coach :)  Career Therapy is the new wave.