Career change. Where to start?

This article is for people who have diagnosed themselves with being a ‘sheep worker’ and would like to set off on a path of career change or find their true life calling.

No worries, almost everyone of us in the beginning of our adult life, when we start to work, is a sheep.

Usually, the society tells us “study hard”, “go to university” and “find a good job”. It’s a motto of a poor father from Robert Kiyosaki’s “Rich dad, poor dad” book. With the advance of time, we turn ourselves into office sheep with deadlines, meetings, asaps, to-dos and confcalls. Politely obeying boss’s orders. Welcome to the world of work!

With the average life expectancy at 75 years, each of us has 657 000 hours. A 30-year old is left with 394 000 hours. Half of this time we spend on sleeping, eating and household duties. If we add to it time spent at work, then… well, there’s not much left for ‘life’. Especially when you consider that for the majority ‘life’ is a need to relax from stressful and unpleasant job, where you spent your whole day.

Admit it – how often within the last 12 months have you told yourself that you’re going to quit your job, find a new one or start the turn your passion into business?  I bet too many times…

Unfortunately, too many of us have been domesticated by the education system, which is a factory of people who agree to underpaid and boring job, very often in stressful environment. We take up a job because we need to feed ourselves, our families, pay the rent and lead life. But what kind of life it is when you have job that you don’t like or when you feel you’re not using all your talents and potential? Why quitting your job is so hard?

FIRST STEP – AWARENESS

1. People are not aware about what is possible – they were taught that this is the way you need to do it. Study and get a job which is compliant with your field of study. They are not aware that passion and satisfaction from work is reserved not only for the ‘lucky guys’ out there. Career change is not easy, but doable. What’s the point in doing a job you hate?
   
2. Even if they are aware – they still feel too lazy to take action. They prefer to do something they already know, even if tiring and boring, than to move their ass and build a life, which they could call their empire. Life according to their own rules.

Which group do you belong to?

CAREER CHANGE – WHERE TO START?

If you don’t like the place where you’re currently at – leave aside making a career. Do something totally different. Give up the sheep race. Stop for a moment and do something for yourself. Think about the options you have, choose an exciting goal and think how you can get the job of your dreams in a year or two.

12 or 24 months is a long piece of time. You can take top additional course, create your own business and gain clients or travel the world, make a blog and live on it. Change of specialisation is very real. The only thing you need is persistence and open mind.

Yes. It’s not going to be easy. It will require time and effort. But consider this: how many years of life you’ll spend working?

As a 30-year old woman I made some mistakes in my life and I learned a lot from them. I know that I don’t want to be a sheep worker, working more than 8 hours per day for a company.  I have too many other talents and skills. So do you.

CREATE YOUR PARADISE

Not exactly a tax-paradise but this is an option, too. Find or better to say, create your own bubble. A paradise vision of yourself and your life. Then, compare it with the current state of affairs and make a plan of what you need to do to get there. The sooner you do it, the better for you and your happiness.

There’s a great practice connected to it. it’s called “Map of Dreams”. It’s a starting point to make such a map and determine your biggest dreams and desires. Life that could make you happy.

Depart from there. Hang the map above your desk or your bed, so that you wake up and look at it. Well, I need contact lenses before I can take a look at my map, but I am happy I can see it. Everything depends on the perspective. Theoretically, I could complain that because of my weak eyesight I am so poor and need to spend money on expensive lenses… Instead, I am grateful I can see and that the only thing I need to see better is my contact lenses 🙂

So, instead of complaining and taking out your hardships and excuses to the surface, think how lucky you are that you you can change your life at any moment. With a bit of effort and awareness your career change can be a tremendous success.

PS. I recently had a fascinating session with a 50-year old lady, who decided to do something else with her life. It is never too late to start living a life of your dreams. Please write a comment if this article motivated you to take a new decision and change something in your life. Even as small as stop drinking your three coffees per day 🙂