I really enjoy the clients I get to know and the stories that I hear in my group coaching calls. In one of my calls last week, my client Lori, shared with us that her job had gotten better for her. Over holidays last year she even received a raise. Throughout our coaching she has taken action steps to help honor her values in life, and as a result she is beginning to feel a little bit more fulfilled at work. However, she says this isn’t the ideal job for her long-term.
The risk here is that she could become complacent, and slack off in her search for the ideal job. This happens to a lot of people because it can be more comfortable in some ways to stay put. Lori wouldn’t have a problem if her job was a long-term fit for her, but she knows it isn’t and eventually would like to find an ideal career that can be long-term. Even if she isn’t moving forward as quickly as before in her search, I have suggested to her that she keeps the momentum going.
It is better to have a plan, even if you don’t execute it, than settle and find yourself stuck there for another 5 years! This happened to me by the way. I got “stuck” in my transition job for 8 more months than I had planned to because I got too comfortable and complacent! I joke with people that I feel like the dentist; too many people wait to contact me when they’re in extreme pain and ready to quit. I wish everyone would contact me well before they are in crisis. The transition is so much easier when you have the time and space to plan. Don’t let this be you. Think about your 6 month dentist cleanings (that you might be skipping…); there is a reason why the dentist wants to see you every 6 months. He doesn’t want you waiting until you have a big problem and are hurting. Another group coaching client, Joe, said it best on our call that day to Lori: “The golden handcuffs only get tighter”.
Click here to watch my YouTube video on this topic.
Hallie Crawford
Career Coach
P.S. Contact us for a complimentary phone consultation if you’d like help identifying your ideal career.
