3 common roadblocks to figuring out what’s next in your career
At times, we may find ourselves at a crossroads in our professional lives, unsure of what’s next for us. Often times this comes with an awareness that the current role or situation is not what we want, and a frustration of not knowing how to move forward.
This place of “limbo” also happens to be one of the most common moments when people reach out to a coach. Over the years, I’ve noticed some typical obstacles that block people from getting clear on + taking action towards their next authentic career move.
Here are 3 obstables I’ve often seen people face, and some tips for how to overcome them.
1. Trying to think your way out of it
I’m yet to meet a person who’s gotten a deep, confident knowing through self-reflection and analysis only. It’s an important piece, but not enough on its own. Real, embodied ‘aha’ moments come from testing different possibilities, dipping your toes into what you’re considering.
As soon as you know what a few potential options for you are, for each…
Find 1-2 people who are already doing that, and invite them for coffee. Prepare questions that you’d like to get answers to (what are the gaps you’d need to fill, to get clearer on whether this could be for you?), and focus on these during the conversation.
Note: The first reaction to this is often “but why would someone say yes to me?”. My experience so far is that people are usually flattered when someone is interested in what they do + if they can combine it i.e with lunch, they don’t even need to find extra time. Simply mention that what they’re doing seems cool, and you’d like to learn more about it.
Find a way to experience/test it, in as similar a setting as possible.
Interested in opening your own cafe? Rent a food truck and spend a few weekends running it.
Thinking of going into digital marketing? Find someone who could use some help with their Instagram account, and offer to help for a few weeks.
Considering moving abroad? Fly over to your preferred destination and stay there for 1-2 weeks, to see whether you actually like the place and see yourself living there.
2. Going into “freeze”, because the undertaking seems too daunting
There’s an old Chinese proverb that says: “The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step”. So does this one.
At first, it may seem like you’re standing at the foot of Mount Everest, confused about how to get going. With a hundred questions on your mind that are looking for answers, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed.
Start by brainstorming all the possible actions steps you could take. Don’t filter at first, just get it all out of your head.
Sort through them, and select the steps that seem most helpful
Schedule a regular time on your calendar for this, i.e 30minutes daily or 2x2 hours per week. Focus on 1 step at a time.
3. Believing the disempowering stories in your head.
As soon as we want to make any kind of change in our lives, our inner “gremlins” awaken: thoughts like “you’re not ready yet” or “who do you think you are to even consider this”, or “what will others think…”.
The risk here is that we set aside some options that our heart says “yes” to, without even giving it a shot.
When I started coaching, I was 28. Most of the coaches on the market back then were 10-20 years older than me, so the doubts of “will I be taken seriously?” and “am I ready?” crossed my mind more than once. A few people also said it to me directly, encouraging me to stay employed for a while longer.
Most of the stories in our mind have nothing to do with reality, and are just internalised opinions of others, cultural narratives, or fears from the past. And they actually have a positive intention: to keep us safe.
The question is, is the threat real or imagined? And are you willing to pay the cost of inaction?
Questions for reflection:
Can I know with 100% certainty that this idea/story is true? When has it not been true? (in my own past, or through someone else’s example)
When have I been scared in the past, and still stepped forward? How did that feel + what was the result?
How would 90-year old me see this situation? What would he/she recommend?
All in all, take some time to reflect and analyse your strengths, values, what you love to do, and weigh different options.
Then, get into action! Test and explore the different possibilities. Question the judgements and fears in your head, and see what other perspectives there may be.
And know that every tiny step you take is a step towards building a life where you’re happy to wake up in the morning, to go and do what you love.
