How To Get Out of the Corner and Into A Job You Love

Richard Branson has always impressed me. He seems to get who he is and what he’s about in terms of life purpose and work. In a recent article, he outlined a system he uses to work out how things are going in his life, and how he should plan his next steps. He suggested drawing a line down the middle of a piece of paper to make two columns and writing in each column as follows:

Column 1

All of the things that are going well for you in life, that you truly enjoy, find purpose and get satisfaction from.

Column 2

Things that are bothering you, or that you dislike about your current situation.

But he didn’t stop there. Many of us bury our heads at this stage and try to work things out ourselves. For many this sees us digging deeper into doing things the way we’ve always done. Which only serves to deliver more of the same.

And that’s the challenge. If you know what you need to do to change your situation:

• Why aren’t you doing something to change it?
• What’s stopping you from making better decisions? Different decisions?
• Why can’t you dig yourself out from the things that are not working for you?

Over many years of coaching and counselling with all sorts of career clients, I’ve seen a common pattern. Clients often wait until they reach a dead end before they come and see me. They wait until their frustration with their current situation reaches a point where they absolutely have to do something about it. They wait until they have completely used up all their own ideas for how to make things better. Which I can understand. Because I’m also the kind of person who thinks I can work things out for myself.

The ‘Dead End’ is actually a really powerful place for you to be in. You might be thinking right now: ‘That’s an odd thing to say’. But here’s the thing:

If clients think they are at a dead end and are feeling frustrated that they don’t know what to do next, I am pleased because:

• They will be motivated to get the help they need
• They will be driven to work hard in our sessions and do the work needed between sessions that will help them think well and come up with good options
• They will have the energy to be more courageous in their decision-making process
• They will push through the ‘Dead-End’ feeling to find work that is more satisfying

The Dead End is often simply a corner. If you can imagine standing in a room and facing into a corner, the only thing you can see is the corner itself. My job as a Career Consultant is to help you turn around and see a different view, to see a room of interesting opportunities, to see yourself clearly in a mirror for who you are, and if you are brave enough, to open the door for you to an even bigger range of possibilities beyond your current room.

Your job is to show up with some energy and motivation to get with the plan and then follow through on the process.

Richard Branson’s solution was to ‘find somebody you can talk to and help you find a more positive way forward’.

Which is where I come in. That’s what I offer to my clients. A conversation that can help you answer:

• Who are you?
• What do you have to offer?
• When should you make changes?
• Where do you want to be?
• How are you going to get there?

You don’t need to stand in the corner facing the wall

If you are ready to have a conversation and work out what to do next, phone or email now and make an appointment.