I’ve been teaching people about how to align their authentic self with their career goals so they can confidently enjoy their career and lives for over 4 years now. In this time, I’ve had the immense privilege of getting to know over 100 people at many different stages in life all with the same question – “What is my ideal career and how do I make it a reality?”
To make sure you’re pursuing your ideal career – you know, the one that makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning and make an impact with your work – consider these three lessons I’ve learned from my experience as a Career Alignment Coach.
1. You can’t find the right fitting career by running away from the wrong one. So often people start exploring new career options when they’re burnt out at their current job or tired of their current employer – this is a mistake. When you are thinking about what’s next for your career, make sure that you are first in a stable frame of mind. Do this by working on your mindset and ensuring you can manage your current job and lifestyle before adding on the additional task of career exploration and job searching.
2. You need to know yourself before you explore career options. If you are exploring options based on what you knew about yourself when you got your current job (the one you can’t wait to leave and are really unhappy in), you’ll likely choose similar jobs/organizations with similar issues during this search, too. We all change as we gain new experience and mature. Be sure that you get to know who you are right now, not just who you were when you first decided your career. Get to know your personality, your values, your priorities, and your needs for support and belonging at work.
3. You’re not too old, and it’s not too late. I have seen 30-year-olds quit their full-time jobs with aallll the perks to pursue their passion part-time to gain experience in a new field, 40-year-olds go back to college to earn their Bachelors degree, and 50-year-olds start businesses without business backgrounds – all with great success! If you are passionate about serving others in a specific way and it takes you some kind of big (or scary) change, it’s worth it. Now, I’m not advocating for passion-filled life-overhauls without careful thought… But I am encouraging a bit more creativity and “what if” in your exploration. Be sure to explore not only your current goals, but your long-term career goals, too. I also highly recommend you consider your financial and lifestyle goals along with your career exploration, too, since it’s all connected. And remember this – If there’s a will, there’s a way.
Do you know something is off in your career and lifestyle alignment? Are you feeling a pull towards a change in your career but want to know that you’re making the *right* choice this time? Craving a job that allows you to sustain your passion for your work AND enjoy your life?
If you’d like to talk about your career and clarify exactly what you need to achieve your well-aligned career, book a Career Strategy Session today.
