Do you ever feel fear when thinking about changing careers? Fortunately, there are several simple things that you can do to relieve that nagging thought. First of all, identify what specifically is causing the negative emotion. Ask yourself what you are feeling. Is it fear of failure? Is it a feeling of being overwhelmed? Is it not knowing where to start? Knowing the cause of fear is the beginning of overcoming it.
Sometimes fear masks itself as procrastination. I have heard from many people that they would like to change careers but they don’t have the time to invest in it. Could it be they have the time but don’t want to face their fear? I suspect that it is case. To get over this hurdle, here is a simple technique to try. Set a timer for 5 minutes and in that 5 minutes concentrate fully on your career transition. Everyone has 5 minutes in the day to spare and it is absolutely amazing what can be accomplished. It seems that getting over that first 5 minutes is the biggest obstacle. I have tried it and found that even when I didn’t think I could possibly get beyond 5 minutes, I really could.
Add some fun to the process of thinking about career transition by allowing yourself to dream. Here is an idea to try. Imagine what the most fun jobs in the world would be. Don’t let education or money be barriers. Just allow your mind to come up with several scenarios. After thinking about it, write your thoughts down. Often there are common themes throughout the dream jobs, see if you can identify any. These themes can be the topic of your next planning session.
Perhaps the best way to alleviate fear is to talk it out. Enlist the support of a significant other, friend, or coach. It is amazing that once a fear is spoken about, it suddenly doesn’t seem to be nearly as scary as it was in your mind.
So if fear has you stuck, identify what the fear is, attack procrastination with the daily 5 minute plan, allow yourself to dream, and talk with a supportive person. Taking action in any small way melts the fear away.
Stacy Harshman brings her experience as a recruiter for a Fortune 500 corporation to her work as a life and career coach. In addition to helping people discover their passions, she also provides clients with insight into the mind of a recruiter, unlocking the secrets of what employers look for in potential employees. Stacy offers individual and group coaching in person and by phone to those seeking positive change in their professional and personal lives.
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