Most of us know what it’s like to be in the wrong job.
You know what I’m talking about.
The kind where you have to wear a mask to disguise how you really feel. The kind that requires herculean strength to accomplish even the most minute tasks. Or the kind that makes you dread Sunday nights and mourns the end of a vacation.
Part of what I do is to teach women how to find joy and satisfaction in the jobs they already have. However, I will never encourage anyone to accept the status quo and stay in an environment that’s slowly killing them.
While that may feel like it’s the safe and responsible thing to do, it comes at a small cost.
Typically, I aim to spread my message with as much positivity as possible. BUT part of my job as a career and leadership coach is providing tough love when it’s due. I want you to have the very best life you can!
So with that said, let’s assess the true cost of not going after your dreams and how to make a change.
Why Do We Stay in the Wrong Jobs?
Many of us feel trapped in unfulfilling careers, thinking there aren’t any other options. But the truth is, after years of helping several different women find creative life and career solutions, I’ve identified two main reasons why people remain stuck.
The first is fear. Fear of how others might react or of making a risky decision that could end in disaster. Human beings are hardwired for negativity, so it’s common to imagine the worst possible scenario when contemplating a career or job change.
The second is a lack of self-worth. Many of the women I encounter – even the self-confident, vivacious ones – stay in nonideal circumstances because they just don’t feel like they’re worth more.
The Price You’re Already Paying
After reinventing my career at 45, I’ll be the first to admit that it often feels easier to avoid rocking the boat because of paying the price of change. But what if I told you that by staying the same, you’re already paying a hefty price? The wrong job is costing your:
Mental Health
Mental health and stability are priceless possessions, and my heart breaks for the women who are slowly losing their sanity in toxic environments. The stress of being in the wrong job and staying in a constant negative state contributes to depression, anxiety, and other psychological harm.
If sleepless nights become a pattern, they’ll slowly tip you off balance and make things worse.
Relationships
Have you ever spent over eight hours putting on a brave face and acting as if you’re having the time of your life at work only to come home and snap at your spouse, kids, or pet?
You know what that makes you?
Human.
A job you despise will often bring out the worst in you. It will take a lot out of you and leave very little over for the loved ones you’re probably doing it all for in the first place.
REAL Dreams
As cliché as it sounds, every moment you spend settling costs a moment of building the life you desire and deserve. And while I genuinely believe that it’s never too late to change and that it’s possible to reinvent your career at any age, the truth is, you don’t have forever.
None of us do.
It Doesn’t Have to Be That Way
Whew! That was heavy.
Now, let’s talk about what to do about it.
Listen, I am the furthest you can get from one of those millionaire motivational gurus on Instagram who tell people to quit their jobs because, #YOLO.
Most of us can’t do that. We have kids, elderly parents, car payments, and mortgages.
I’m not talking about dropping everything and letting the chips fall where they may.
I’m talking about going after your dreams using common sense and a plan. And forming a strategy that gets you out of the situation you’re in while giving you hope for a better tomorrow.
Your first step toward building your dream life can just look like letting your walls down and giving yourself permission to cast a new vision, even if it’s wildly different from your current reality.
Because once you have a vision, you can set a decisive goal.
And once you have a decisive goal, you can unlock the strength and creativity you need to set things in motion.
If you’ve spent a long time settling for second best and burying your desires under a pile of fear and responsibility, you might have lost touch with what you truly want out of life.
If that sounds like you, I invite you to book a free, no-obligation consultation call with me to excavate your dreams and bring them back to life.