If you’ve ever read the children’s story, ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt!’ you’ll know that its about the journey to find a bear. When they arrive at the cave and see the bear, the family get very scared and run all the way back home and dive under the bed covers.
Embarking on a midlife career change can feel a bit like that. Like most journeys, you will experience a range of emotions. There’s the initial excitement of the challenge, but when push comes to shove, the thought of a new destination can make you want to turn back, take a different path, or go and hide.
Yet, what if the grizzly you’re afraid of is right where you are? What if a new destination took you away from the bear and lead you to something way less scary? So many of my clients are constantly fighting the bear in their current job. Whether the bear is your boss, your customers, your workload or the office politics, nothing will change unless you do.
Time and time again I hear the same story. You’re no quitter, so you stick it out. You’re a perfectionist so you’ll just get this one job done before you make your move. You’re waiting for the next re-organisation, then you’ll do it. Yet so often the tale turns sour and burnout takes hold. A month, two months, six months spent trying to stick the fragments of your life back together.
Yet, with hindsight the signs were there. More frequent visits to the doctor, little niggles, infections, stronger and stronger meds. Sleeplessness. Anxiety. Depression. These are your personal grizzlies.
No-one looks back on their life and wishes they worked more. They wish they’d lived more. They wish they’d taken notice of the signs earlier and found the courage to do something about it.
Yes, fighting the grizzly right in front of you is challenging but I also know it can feel more challenging to change. You wonder, will there be bigger, scarier bears round the corner?
Whilst I can provide no guarantees of course, I can say that in all the 14 years of coaching 1000’s of people into new work, I’ve never met a single one who ended up facing a bigger challenge than the one they left. Not one.
So, are you ready to go on a bear hunt? What if your bear ended up looking like this cute little guy? Work with me and change your perspective, and your life!
Contact me TODAY for a FREE 40 minute, no obligation consultation. You’ve got nothing to lose!