One of the things that keeps many people stuck in moving to a new career is fear of the unknown. How do you know the direction you want to take is the right one? How do you really know if you’ll like it? You may have an idea of your life purpose and what you are passionate about. That’s a great start! But how does that actually translate into a career? You can’t afford to leave your current job without the confidence that your next move is the right one. So, what do you do?
I highly recommend finding time each day to get quiet and listen to your higher self. Trust your intuition. Your purpose comes from your soul. That said, since we live in a physical world, we can also get into action. Action helps to break through fear. It provides those concrete experiences that help to determine if we are on the right path.
“But wait!” you say! “The whole point is that I’m stuck because I don’t know what action to take!”
The key is to take small steps. Dip your toe in the water. You don’t have to leap fully into the unknown abyss and hope you land on your feet.
There are several ways you can test a career path before committing to it. Here are some ideas:
1. While still at your current position, you could take a part-time job in your field of interest, or even volunteer. For example, if you think you might like to work with animals you could volunteer at a shelter. A vet’s office might another place to gain experience. You might offer to pet-sit for friends and neighbors who are going on vacation.
2. If you have a love of making jewelry, baby clothes, etc. you can start by setting up a store on Etsy. You could also offer your products to stores that sell on consignment. You love to bake? Coffee shops often welcome local baked goods to sell. Some of this may require a little research as a first step.
3. Is working part time or volunteering too much to handle with your schedule? If so, another idea is to find someone who is doing what you think you’d like to do and see if they would be willing to do an informational interview with you.
Remember they are doing you a favor by giving up their time and expertise, so do your homework first. Come prepared with specific questions (you can find out a lot by researching “Informational Interviews online.) Be sure to respect their time. They are giving up a part of their work day for you. The interview should be kept to 15-30 minutes.
Some good questions to start might be, “What do you like most about what you do?” “What do you find the most challenging thing about what you do?” “What kind of education or training did you need?” Some people may let you “shadow” them at work for a day as well. After the interview, send them a thank-you note via email or, better yet, a handwritten note.
As you can see, you can ease your way into a change in lifestyle.
Your subconscious mind likes action. When you take even a small action toward what you want, it gets on board, realizing you are serious about this desire! When the actions are small steps you avoid feeling overwhelmed and gathering more information will arm you with more confidence in your choices. Approach this playfully! We are here to have experiences! You may find out you are on the right track, which will fire your enthusiasm, or you may find that the direction you thought you wanted isn’t right for you after all. Either way, you win.
If you are still in doubt about what you want to do, but are ready to take action in some way, you can schedule a free Life Purpose Strategy Session with me to help clarify your vision and the next steps for you to take to living your purpose!
What one small step will you take today?
