What a Career Transformation Can Do for You, and Why

Posted on March 23, 2017 by Carolyne Simi, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.

Good news—spring is just around the corner! As we get further into the new year, many of us are taking time to check in on our progress with our career and life goals. I hope you’re making solid progress, but it’s not unusual for this to be a time of disappointment for many of us who realize that despite our best intentions, we’re still slogging along in a career that’s not bringing us satisfaction and falling back into old destructive habits. Sometimes that’s because we set our goals and expectations too high. And sometimes it’s because we didn’t take the time to get clarity on the what, when, why and how of the change we’re trying to make.

If you’re still feeling stuck and uncertain, you may be convinced that it’s time to move on to a new job or a new career. But how do you know where to go next? And, more importantly, will you be happy when you make the change?

You can jump from job to job in the hopes that something new will bring you happiness and a sense of purpose, only to find you’re surrounded by the same people, wearing the same suits, working on the same projects: new address, same unfulfilling job.

The problem with this approach is that no job by itself will ever make you happy. Some jobs will be more challenging or more fun than others. And there may be other factors—like flexibility, a shorter commute, or better benefits—that make one job a better fit for you than another. But ultimately finding career happiness means that you need to change the way you think, too. It’s that shift in perspective that will help you find joy in what you do, no matter what it is.

If you’re not happy in your current job but aren’t sure that making a change to a new career is the right choice for you, first ask yourself these perspective-shifting questions (and remember to write down your answers!)

What parts of your work do you truly enjoy? Which parts you dislike? Why?
When we’re feeling bad about our job or our life, we sometimes lump things into the “it all sucks, and it will never get better” category. But is that really true? We tend to paint things with broad brush strokes, but if you take the time to step back and look at the details, you might see a completely different picture.

Sit down with pen and paper and make three columns: “Like” and “Dislike” and “Why?” Now list everything you do in your work using “ing” words and add them to the appropriate column. Examples include organizing, presenting, selling, planning, calling, managing, designing, budgeting, writing, and so on.

How do you feel about those skills and tasks? Do you want to keep them as part of your tool belt? In the “why” column, add a clear explanation for why you like or dislike each “ing” word. For example, if you put “managing” in the dislike column, add some detail, like “Managing takes up a lot of my energy and time, and I dislike having to help other people manage their work. It’s hard for me to give negative feedback.”

Can you modify your perspective on your work? Are you willing to do so? If so, how would that make you feel?
We all fall victim to patterns of negative thinking and bad habits. We start to see our world—and ourselves—in a one-dimensional way. By taking time to understand and itemize the things we do and label them in a different way, we can often shift our perspective to be more positive.

Once you have listed the specific skills you use and the positive or negative ways you feel about them, add a “New Perspective” column. Now write about how you would feel if you shifted your perspective to one that’s more positive. Instead of thinking or saying “I don’t like managing people,” you could spin things to say “Managing allows me to learn and grow my people skills.”

Does changing your perspective make you feel more positive about your work? If so, why? If not, why not? Answer honestly, knowing that sometimes the way we feel about a task simply can’t be changed.

Are you doing what you are wired to do? If not, what could you do instead?
We’re all familiar with the phrase “play to your strengths.” But sometimes our career paths lead us to a place where we’re not working with our natural gifts and abilities. This is sometimes known as the “Peter Principle.” The Peter Principle is a concept in management theory that states that the selection of a candidate for a position is based on the candidate’s performance in their current role, rather than on abilities relevant to the intended role. So, employees only stop being promoted once they can no longer perform effectively, and “managers rise to the level of their incompetence.” This isn’t because the person is incompetent, but rather because they have been promoted into a position where they are not using their strengths.

Maybe you love to design but through various promotions and career moves now find yourself managing other designers as a creative director. You’re not designing anymore and instead spend much of your time in meetings, managing other’s time and mentoring younger designers. This evolution may suit you if you have strong people and communication skills. But if you’re more comfortable doing the actual creative work, and it brings you joy and satisfaction, it might be a better career move to step back from a managerial position.

If you look at the detail of the work that you are currently doing and realize that you’ve become Peter, it may be time to consider a career change, or at the very least have a candid conversation with your boss about how you can return to doing more of the things that play to your strengths.

What are you tolerating? What is it costing you? What would life be like if you decided not to tolerate it any longer?
In life and work, there are always things we accept out of necessity. We tolerate our spouse’s messiness and disorganization because their positive qualities outweigh the negatives. We put up with a long commute to work because our neighborhood has excellent schools for our children.

Sometimes we are fully aware of and accept these trade-offs, but sometimes we do so unconsciously. Or we do it reluctantly (and, perhaps, resentfully). Or we do it fully understanding that we are resigned to tolerating things that ultimately make us unhappy and less than we could be.

Take a moment to write down on paper three columns labeled “What I’m tolerating,” “What is the cost?” and “How would life be different if I stopped?” Think deeply about the things that you are putting up with in life, and then write down the costs, like “a long commute means more time away from my family, eating unhealthy fast food, added stress, added fuel and parking costs, increased wear and tear on my car (and on my soul).” Remember: There are no right or wrong answers. What bothers you and diminishes the quality of your life might be insignificant to someone else.
Now imagine what your life would be like if you stopped tolerating that thing: “I have more time to exercise and make healthy meals, I’m in a better mood, I save money on gas and parking that I can spend on vacations,” and so on. Your answers won’t necessarily point to making extreme changes, like making the change to a new career. Sometimes a small shift, like lobbying to work from home a day or two a week, will go a long way to making your current situation a whole lot better.

These perspective-shifting exercises are just the beginning; they’ll help you change the way you see your job—and your life. Maybe you’ll ultimately decide to change jobs to find one that’s a better fit for you, but a shift in perspective—to one of self-understanding, gratitude and contentment—will add a bit of Spring sunshine to any career.