How to Prepare for Major Career Changes
Who doesn’t fantasize from time to time about completely turning their lives around by giving up blogging to start a whole new career as an Instagram account manager for puppies? Whatever your current career and a pipe dream career, you can make your dreams come true, but only if you are willing to work towards it.
Fast Company spoke with several experts about how they made the big career turn they dreamed of. While it may seem impossible at times to take advantage of such a huge chance for your dream, this tip will help you get closer to what seems like a magical breakthrough with practical, incremental steps.
Actually try
Many things that we think look like an ideal life from afar seem very different when you actually do them. Before Paula Davis-Laak was a psychologist, she was a lawyer, and before that she wanted to be a pastry chef. This was until she studied for a week at the bakery. She says she hated the experience, but it made her realize that even a great looking job consists of doing the same tasks every day. She ended up listing everything she loved to do (reading, writing, talking to people), and then found a job that suited them: psychology. Make a list of the things you really enjoy doing and see if they fit the career you were looking to try. Maybe it fits, maybe not; the next step is to see if you can find a way to simulate the experience – or get your foot out of the way of your current presentation – and get a real sense of what you are working on.
Take part in the network
Freelance project manager Elaina Jolando recommended taking stock of someone you already know. Chances are, if you’ve been considering running away to join the circus, you know some clowns. Make a list of everyone on your network who you can reach, and then categorize them based on how comfortable you are with them. It’s okay to invite people over for coffee to get their opinion, but Jolando says you should really think about how you can help them .
“You have something to offer everyone,” insisted Jolando. “By practicing helping others, you will extinguish good karma and people will inevitably reciprocate — perhaps not now, but at some point in the future.”
Do not get carried away by fantasy
There are several common psychological factors that prevent people from making the change they want. Jeff Goins – a writer who says , that he has to do it all the time, but making many small changes in your habits and priorities. But he always thought that the reorientation of his life would be more important, mainly because of what we see in the films.
“It confused me for a long time. I didn’t have a Jerry Maguire moment, no dramatic statement to the world that changed everything. But once I started to look more honestly at success, I realized that the “slow and steady” strategy may be more the norm than we think. “
The other most common problems people face is listening to their “inner critic” telling them that they will be bad at anything before they even start, and that other voice that says bluntly: “You are too old.” Getting rid of inner demons is not easy, but more and more often you have to start at an older age. The economy is changing, certain jobs go in and out of fashion, and the problem of finding a new job can arise no matter what. You might as well buckle up and take the road that leads to what you really want.