What’s Holding You Back?

What’s holding you back from advancing in your career? Or, in this current environment, re-evaluate what you want to do with your next chapter. 

We all have things that we feel like we can use as an excuse so that we can stay with the status quo (aka our “comfort zone”), and not move forward. I’ve been just as guilty as the next person of this. Sometimes you realize it and are actively choosing to delay a change,  and other times an outward force like layoffs, remote vs. back in the office, work/life imbalances, etc. completely halt you in your tracks and make you have to examine what you really want. When that process nears its end, you look back and wonder “Why didn’t I do this sooner?” 

Let’s not wait any longer. Instead of letting circumstances dictate your career and life, let’s take control and set the right path now!

First, let’s briefly address each of the top three excuses I hear on “why now is not the right time for a change”. The top excuses I hear are:

• Fear

• Lack of knowledge

• Stuck in your comfort zone

Fear:

If fear is holding you back, you need to identify what it is that you’re afraid of. Are you afraid of making a bad job choice? That can be solved. No job is permanent. Are you afraid you may falter? If you don’t do something that will stretch you, provided you are actively working towards up-leveling your skills, you will never advance in your career. 

So let’s address what it is you are actually fearful of and examine what would happen if that fear would come to pass.  How would you overcome it? What can you do to move forward while mitigating the pitfalls?

Once you have a plan of action to overcome what you fear, that fear is often less intimidating and you can take those steps which once seemed scary and actually moved you forward.

Lack of Knowledge:

Where do you feel you lack? Computer skills? Personal or professional experience? Are you looking to switch industries? Are you looking to move up but are missing some key skills? Identify your Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and the Results you want to achieve. This sometimes sounds like you still don’t have a template to follow. I would approach it the same way you would for an interview. 

Spend some time speaking with others in the role you want for yourself. Buy them a coffee and find out what they expected when starting the role, vs. what they actually found the role to be. Make a plan to attend conferences and training prior to putting your hat in the ring to build up your confidence. 

Map out what your next 3-5 roles would be if you could snap your fingers and fast forward to your career crest - what will those roles need to be to achieve that goal? This will give you a lot of clarity as to what your next step should be to achieve your goal.

Comfortable:

Are you comfortable or complacent? If you had to look 10 years into the future, would you be happy being where you are right now…then? 

If not, what is the thing or combination of things that has lulled you into that illusion that you are “safe” in your job, and therefore are comfortable? 

We know that no matter how wonderful you are in your career, as we said before, every job is temporary. From the receptionist to the Chairman of the Board, everyone will change jobs with or without their consent at some point. 

That being said, if you are comfortable, you need to evaluate your career goals and get UNcomfortable! 

Time goes by so fast, and technology, the scale and the pace of business are accelerating at such a hyper-growth rate, if you don’t move forward, you will get left behind. Catching up is a lot harder to do than staying on pace or moving ahead.

Next Steps?

• Do a personal SWOT analysis. Take those results and start working through any gaps and look for ways where your strengths can be amplified

• Take the time to work on your professional goals as though they were a product launch in your company. Section out time monthly to focus on you and training, networking, etc. 

• Work with a mentor or coach to stay accountable and keep you on track as well as encourage you in this process and gut-check you (when needed)

 At the end of the day - you are going to be where you choose to be. Your career is in YOUR hands!