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When I talk with people about changing careers to pursue work you love, I sometimes
get a reaction that boils down to, “Isn’t the grass always greener somewhere
else? Shouldn’t you just learn to bloom where you’re planted?” On the flipside
of that, others don’t want to even think about learning to like where they are
more. They think their focus should be on making a change.
In reality, it’s not an either/or choice. With the right approach, it can be a
both/and choice. You can learn to thrive where you are at the same time as
you move towards a career that energizes and inspires you (see my most
recent US News & World Report post for ideas on how to start preparing
for that career change - http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2010/07/08/9-ways-to-change-careers-in-this-economy ).
Here are five ways to lighten the load and make the best of your current
situation.
Choose how to experience it
This boils down to one simple concept: reality is what you make it. The
story you tell yourself about what you are experiencing is the single biggest
determinant of how you feel about the situation.
If your story is one of resentment that you have to come to this stinkin’ job
every morning, guess how you’re likely to feel? On the other hand, if your
story is that, sure you’re not in the ideal situation, but there are positive
aspects to it that you can focus on, and that even the crappy parts have
lessons for you, your stress-o-meter is infinitely less likely to redline.
That applies at a smaller scale as well. If there is a situation that is
particularly challenging for you, or a person that is driving you nuts, check
out your story. You may not be able to control the external circumstances,
but you can control how you react to them. (A great book to help with this
is Byron Katie’s Loving What Is.)
Commit to change
Another big contributor to the heaviness of a job that isn’t right is the feeling
of being stuck. When I start working with a new client, I’m always fascinated
at the difference it often makes in their attitude. Nothing about the job they’re
dissatisfied with is different, but the fact that they have committed to making
a change lifts a huge weight off their shoulders.
When people feel stuck in their careers, the frustration they feel isn’t just
from that day. It’s the cumulative weight of dissatisfied days stretching
endlessly into the future like one mirror reflecting another. Once they commit
to change, presto! That load lightens up.
Committing to change won’t make the present experience any more palatable,
but it will ensure that your frustration is only about that day, and not a pile of
future days that may not even exist.
Focus on the positive
This is related to choosing how to experience it. Recognize that jobs that
truly have NOTHING positive about them are few and far between. The
positive may feel infinitely overshadowed by the negative, but odds are
good it’s there. And choosing to focus on it is a way to lighten the load.
Sit down and make a list of things that you like about your work (or that you
could like, if you weren’t so focused on being unhappy about the situation).
When you’re done with the list, spend a few minutes really appreciating
them in isolation. Resist the urge to compare them to all the things you find
unpleasant about your work.
Make a habit out of looking for the positive. Challenge yourself to find things
you can appreciate every day. If you can, enlist someone else to do this as
well. How often have you heard people sitting and bitching ad infinitum about
work? That only serves to create an endless loop of reinforcement of what
they don’t like. Put that same idea to work with a positive focus.
Incorporate energy sources
Look for ways to incorporate more of what energizes you into your work.
First, look for opportunities to build on what is already there. Is there
anything in your work that you really enjoy? Is there any way to do more
of it?
Next, look for ways to incorporate things that energize you that weren’t
already part of the picture. Feel in the groove when you write, but your job
offers little or no opportunity for that? Maybe you can spearhead a company
newsletter project. Feel energized when you are interacting with people, but
your work is woefully solo-oriented? Try making it a point to gather people
on a regular basis to go out for lunch.
Charge up elsewhere
Because life is interconnected, what you do outside of work can have an
impact on how you feel during work. Instead of turning into a blob in front of
the TV, make an effort to do things you find energizing. While you’re at it,
incorporate a healthy diet and exercise into the picture – those are two of
the most reliable energy sources you can find.
None of these ideas is a panacea. Collectively, they have the potential to
make a significantly positive impact but they won’t turn the wrong job into
the right one. What they will do is improve the quality of your here-and-now
as you start taking steps towards the right career. And unless you are
planning to change careers tomorrow, it's in your own best interest to start
making today as good as you possibly can.
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Time for a career change? Launch it with
The Occupational Adventure Guide:
A Travel Guide to the Career of Your Dreams
