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Are you stuck in a job you hate? So confused and overwhelmed that you don’t know how you got here, but you’re desperate to get out? Maybe you have a long list of reasons for why things can’t change or get better that you keep replaying in your head. Here are some of the best strategies I’ve seen and experienced personally to help get you out of a job crisis.
I hate my job and there isn’t anything I can do about it!
Sound familiar? There’s really nothing worse in life than feeling like we’re in a situation where we have no choice. It’s the very definition of trapped and painted in a corner. All we seem to be able to focus on are the lack of options — I can’t change my job because I need the money for my family; I’m obliged to finish a project; I don’t know what else I would do if I didn’t have this job.
Then every day becomes an onslaught of things that we can’t stand. Our bosses become even more annoying, co-workers slack off or get disconnected and all of a sudden it seems that everyone is sleepwalking or are just like zombies going through the motions. Then, like that very zombie plague someone finally bites your leg, and you turn into the slow moving hoard of mindless, stiff bodies just functioning off of this particular version of “must eat brains”. You say, “take the paycheck”.
But, somewhere deep down inside, you’re mad as hell. You want MORE, not just from your job, but from your life. There’s nothing worse than when we see ourselves bigger than our current situation. A glass ceiling would be a blessing compared to this glass box that you’re forced to get into every day to be less than you really are.
Get back in the drivers seat
The first shift that you need here is choice. The best way to get to choice is by asking yourself powerful questions. Powerful questions are the main tool of coaching because it directs our focus in such a way, that perhaps we can get ourselves into a place where we say. “I never thought of it that way before.”
Here are a few powerful questions for anyone that feels stuck in a work situation:
What are other possibilities?
Where do I limit myself?
What are my false assumptions?
These questions take some of the air out of our bubble of focus on how bad things are, and puts us into a place where we deal with the situation as it is. Now we’re on the path towards some clarity and perspective on the situation.
Your Situation (-) Blame (=) Truth
Once you’ve been able to lift your head above the clouds a bit, now you can start to see where you have some options. Now it’s time to quit the bitching and moaning that’s been clouding your judgement on your next steps. Too often, we find it all to easy to beat the drum of how bad our situation is. It’s natural. Sometimes we want empathy and understanding, sometimes we just want confirmation that others have been through the same thing, and that’s fine. But do yourself a favor, stop blaming your boss, co-workers, team, etc., for the situation. We all do the best we can with the knowledge and understanding we have — yourself included. Stopping blame halts the momentum of the negative victim energy and reinforces your position in the drivers seat. It also gets you space to determine what your role and responsibility was in getting you here. You can switch jobs, but if you don’t change your thinking, chances are you’ll wind up right back where you started.
Here are some more questions to ask yourself to get to the truth of how this situation came to be and to help you learn and move forward:
What is the decision I have been avoiding?
Where do I lie to myself?
What haven’t I taken responsibility for that has contributed to my situation?
Create a New Vision for the Future
Now you can get to work building on where you want to really be. This is what’s going to give you the power and motivation you need to make the decisions you need to get you there. And believe me, decisions will have to be made. Not all of them will be pretty in the short term. But when you’re clear about where you’re going and your desire to get there, the short term discomfort fades away instantly at the thought of your end goal. It’s like when you’re determined to lose 20 pounds and you’re on fire at the though of what your body’s going to look like when that happens, that piece of cake doesn’t look as appealing as it once did. You start training you mind to what it is you really crave, and that’s you, happy and fulfilled by meaningful work.
Create The Blueprint
You’re going to need to have some examples of people who are where you want to be that you can keep and hold closely. Is there someone who already is where you want to be? Find out how they got there! You’ll have to so some work, but 9 times out of 10, somebody’s already done what you want to do. Learn from their victories and mistakes. If this is someone you can get to personally mentor you (even if you have to pay for it), even better. And just for good measure you can listen to Jay-Z’s The Blueprint album while you do your research for motivation, ha!
Generate Abundance Through Giving
I believe that there is no faster way to abundance in life than through tapping into what I call universal mindset abundance. This means that instead of constantly thinking what you can get out of a situation, you instead focus on what you can give, without needing in return.
When you give more than you expect to receive, the universe answers with powerful abundance.
Stop focusing on your need to “get out of here” and start focusing on “how can I give more to what I do.” Your results will be extraordinary.
Get Support – We all need a strong network of partners, family and friends who truly have our best interests at heart in order to make these sometimes difficult transitions. You will need the support of those you love in order to navigate this sometimes rocky terrain. We’re also available if you need more support or accountability to take you to the next level.
What are your biggest challenges with your job? How did you make the shift? Leave a comment below!
