“Life is too short to live an unfulfilled professional life”! My motto is a call to all professionals who are stuck, have lost motivation, or feel frustrated. Break free; it is in your hands and your decision. Before we delve into the 5-step guide, let’s remember: Success is not an overnight phenomenon. It’s about making progress, no matter how small, every day. These small steps will eventually lead you to your ultimate goals.
Your goals and desires are unique to you, and it’s crucial that you take action to achieve them. This is the first step towards your reinvented professional journey. From nothing comes nothing. Again, one of my favourite quotes.
How to start might not be clear, and we all need a nudge to start reframing our brains and our thinking—reminder for you: your brain needs to be nurtured with positive, can-do, and open-to-receive triggers. You can reinvent your career and break free from the rut, the hamster wheel.
Transform Your Career Journey In 5 Steps
Self-reflection
It all starts with yourself. Thyself. Understand the reasons you want to change your career. What are you looking for in an ideal job? What are you missing? What is good at your job? What could be better?
Assess your strengths, your skills, your successes, and your values.
I have a saying: “When in doubt, get your values out”.
Research
Knowledge is power. Understand the new trends, explore new industries, and list down all the companies you want to work for and what is common. Look into growth potential, salary expectations, and job requirements.
Identify transferable skills. Which skills do you possess already, and what do you need to move into that new profession? That includes technical skills and human ones.
Upskill yourself
Pursue new skills and seek advice. Get certificates that might be needed to move into the position you want.
Seek volunteer opportunities and try out in the new field to gain insights and re-assess whether the new aspired direction is the correct one.
Network with Intention
The number one rule for success in business is to leverage your existing network. Tell everyone you are looking for new opportunities. Ask for advice and suggestions.
My “Networking Wheel” – https://innkick.com/free-knowledge-boosters/ is an easy and handy way to assess your network.
Who can you reach out to or ask for a referral? Make a list of your board of directors. Who can be a sponsor, an influencer, or a connector? What can they offer you and vice versa? Networking is also a game of give and take.
Join and attend industry events and use them to introduce yourself.
Create a transition plan
Set clear goals with timelines. As you jnwo the SMART goals, I added two more letters. E and R. So it will read out “SMARTER.” Do you know what the E and R stand for?
Exciting and rewarding. The goals you are setting need to excite you. Create actionable and realistic goals that you can achieve and celebrate each milestone. Micro goals are the best so that the process does not feel overwhelming.
Update your LinkedIn profile and your CV, and have it reviewed by peers or mentors. Ideally, a career coach would be the best resource.
Be prepared for setbacks; you will be rejected and hear many NOs. Be consistent and determined. Patience is vital, as reaching your goal might take a while.
The essence of the story
You are the CEO of your career. No one else will take action other than you.
First, though, measure your commitment level to take action, change, and live a fulfilled professional life. On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, what is your commitment level? If it is less than 7, then think about what it will take to move it to 8.
Why am I asking this question? Because following your goals and stepping out of your comfort zone requires commitment and accountability. Breaking free from your hamster wheel is not so easy. At the same time, it is. It depends on how deep your desire to break out.
I am closing with another quote of mine: Life is too short to live an unfulfilled professional life. If you need further help, feel free to contact me. First discovery call is free.