By Jill Berquist, Now What?® A-Team Coach
Fear is the number one obstacle in a career transition. It comes in many forms and they are unique to you and your situation. That said, there is one particular fear that I have seen as one of the most pervasive and most impactful, when it comes to the fears that can bring several transitions to a dead halt. Simply put, it is when you say to yourself:
“What if I lose what I’ve worked so hard to establish?”
Fear that your transition will chisel into your long established identity or your earnings is incredibly real. Your status and reputation will likely carry weight for you personally, within your profession, family or in your community…or all of the above! And you’ve worked hard to get where you are. Making a change can absolutely force you to weigh in on tough status and salary questions. You will need to assess if you’ll be able to earn the same level of financial success you have established to this point or ultimately, decide whether it’s truly a deal-breaker if you do not.
To help get through this fear, do a soul-searching analysis of what you are willing to risk and for what gain. Specifically a few things to help mitigate this fear are to:
Do a money evaluation. Whether on your own or with the help from a financial advisor, calculate what you want or need to earn. Sometimes you find once you research the career you are contemplating, you can still get into your desired earning track. If you cannot, you may need to be creative with how you make your desired earnings happen, such as considering how you can earn additional income on the side, or rearranging your wealth management plan.
Keep your day job. When I was getting into coaching, I did it the following way. After some dabbling in it, I told my boss about my interest in coaching, and he agreed that it was okay for me to explore it, because as it turned out, he really wanted me to stay with the firm. I was supported in doing this, as long as there was no conflict of interest and I made sure there wasn’t. (This meant I couldn’t help our employees leave the company.) I began some training on the side and started coaching right away. It would then be a year and a half later before I left the firm. I left with a better foundation and less “neediness” in my energy. This is really important for starting any business or interviewing for a new job.
Consider compromising. That’s right. How are you willing to compromise for the career and life you really want? It may involve readjusting what you are willing to earn, leaving behind your old vision of yourself that may no longer work, or adjusting to the new level or role you are willing to work within, in exchange for the really “right” path. In the end, to claim some of these priceless life riches, it may be so much less of a compromise than you even think.
At the end of the day, you also have to ask yourself what will make you smile when you go to sleep at night and jump out of bed to start your day: Is it the lifestyle you have established, or the incredible life you get to live?
