If you’ve been thinking 2020 is the year you’re going to change job or have a complete career change, it can feel a bit daunting.
Any change can feel scary but when it comes to the way you earn money and how much, we can pile the pressure on and that’s often what keeps us stuck where we are.
Many of my clients bring their fears into coaching sessions, when they’re considering leaving paid employment to start out on their own. Often, they are looking for a job title to attribute to what they want to do, a box to fit in, or a label, as it provides some sense of comfort and reassurance.
I went through the same process when I left my 20-year career behind and I remember it being really uncomfortable! Through my studies, training and experience I’ve learnt that it’s a combination of the basic human need to feel a sense of belonging, left brain and linear thinking and starting to break free from the institution and conditioned way of thinking we have become used to.
Ironically, it’s because we’re starting to break free of ‘the system’ that we’re looking to make a big change in the first place. It’s just that no-one ever said we could or taught us how.
So where can you start? It always starts with you, your wants, your needs and values. You may need to make some compromises or sacrifices but without knowing what it is that you want and need to be happy, you will circle right back to the beginning and start thinking all over again how you can make a change and be happy.
It doesn’t need to be anything complex, jot down the first thoughts that come to you about what you want in your life, who you want to be, what you want to achieve (ignoring whether you think you can or not!) and what makes you happy. Then write down what’s important to you – these are your values. You may want to do one list for work and one for home.
Stop thinking about what job title you can fit into and think about what you want to achieve. I use my job title very loosely and generally introduce myself to people as ‘I help people to escape corporate life and set up on their own’. If someone asks, I’ll share the various ways in which I help people to do that – blending NLP, coaching and intuitive guidance to help identify true passions, build self-belief and gain insight into next steps.
When you break free of the limitations and boundaries you’ve set for yourself all sorts of amazing opportunities open up. I’d also recommend opening your thinking to more than one thing.
I worked with a client recently who wanted to set up her own business but was struggling to decide on whether to go with fitness training or social media support for small business. I asked her why she felt she couldn’t consider doing both.
On the basis that your time is yours and your business runs by your rules, stop trying to fit your new career into a traditional model. Surely, you’ve established that doesn’t work for you already?
I was reminded of a quote recently that inspired me to live my life my way and create my business in a way that worked for me, as well as my clients:
“Tetris – the more you fit in, the more you disappear”
Dare to be you and dare to be different.
Wishing you your best year yet,
Jenny
Ps. If you're ready to launch your new business, my FREE 5 day challenge for new businesses starts 6th January. You'll get a marketing plan template, business plan template, how to work with social media, develop working with your intuition to get the right clients for your business and loads more! Come and join for free HERE
