In a survey that I did a some time ago, 78% of employed women said that fear kept them from pursuing a career that they really wanted. Now I don’t know about you, but I think that figure is far too high. And whilst my survey is not reflective of the whole population of women, fear of making a career change is a big factor for many people I come across. It keeps them stuck in roles that they have outgrown or no longer enjoy.
When you have been in a role for a long time, it can be easy to slip in to a comfort zone and get stuck. Worse still if you haven’t kept your skills up to date and kept yourself marketable.
The dangers of staying in a comfort zone
The dangers of staying in a role that you have outgrown, that no longer challenges you, and that you do not enjoy, can lead to boredom, frustration, stress and unfulfillment. You may be experiencing similar emotions to those that you have when you think about making a change, but because you’re in your comfort zone, you are in the familiar. As a creature of habit, this may give you the impression that you're better off staying where you are.
You know your role inside out, whereas making that change takes you in to the unknown, and that feels scary.
Organisations are in constant change these days, and if you’ve allowed yourself to get stuck in a rut, by staying in your comfort zone, you may be putting yourself in a vulnerable position.
The fear of the unknown
We like to be in charge of our circumstances, we like to know what is around the corner. When we don’t, fear can kick in. What if I fail? What if I am successful but can’t maintain it? What if I end up without a job? These are just some of the fears that this can evoke.
The fear of the known that could happen as a result of making a career change can sometimes far outweigh the stress and pressure of being demotivated and stuck in a rut, doing a job you no longer enjoy.
Are you imagining the worst possible outcome?
If fear is driving your reluctance to make a career change, are you imagining the worst possible outcome if you were to change, and worrying about that? When we are contemplating making a significant change in our lives, we often imagine that the worst possible outcome will happen, rather than looking at the best possible outcome that could come about.
When mitigating the risks of making a decision, whilst it can be good to look at the worst possible scenario and what we could do, it isn’t good to dwell in it and let it debilitate us.
There could be many factors contributing to your fear, which have probably come about because of things that you have experienced over the course of your life. If your parents/carers were risk averse, chances are you will have inherited some of their limiting beliefs. We often absorb the fears of other people, letting them consume us and fuel any fears that we may hold ourselves.
What happens if you do nothing?
If you don’t do anything and stay as you are, how do you think you will feel a year from now? How do you think you will feel 2, 3… 5 years from now? If you feel unchallenged, demotivated, frustrated and stressed now, how do you think you will feel further down the line?
Does making a change feel overwhelming?
There’s a lot to think about when making a career change, and it can feel overwhelming. Particularly if you don’t have a clue about what it is that you want to do. Not knowing where to start or how to begin, can keep you from doing anything at all.
Rather than being overwhelmed by the enormity of making a transition, create a plan and break down what you need to do in to manageable steps.
Get clear about what you want to do next
If you don’t know what you want to do, get clear about what it is that you want. What skills do you have? What are your strengths? What do you enjoy doing? What role would enable you to utilise these?
Take in to consideration your values because it is important that we do so when we are making such decisions about our careers. Doing work that goes against your values will make you feel as if you have compromised yourself, not to mention that it will be unfulfilling.
Don’t just think about your values, think about the values of the kind of organisations that you would like to work in and whether their values align with yours.
What are your fears REALLY about?
If you’re not sure about what you want to do, knowing what you want and the kind of organisations you want to work in, helps to make some of that unknown known, leaving you to address your fears about what if…
When you think about making that change, what is it that causes you to feel anxious? What do you think will happen? Identify what you think and believe is going to happen if you go ahead and make that change.
We often imagine the worst possible outcome, and because we fear the worst, that makes us anxious. This is likely to stop you from taking the action needed for you to make that change.
Is it a fear of rejection, fear of getting turned down? Are you worried that if you make the change you won’t like it? Or are you worried that you will get the role you want, but think that after you start, you will get found out that you’re not good enough for it after all?
Identify what your belief is about what will happen and ask yourself how rational it is. How realistic is it that this will be how things actually work out?
If the worst was to happen, what could you do?
We are all incredibly resourceful, and when our backs are against the wall, we find ways in which we can adapt. If your beliefs were to come true, what could you do? Put things in to perspective, and by doing so, it will make it easier for you to see solutions for what you could do in the event the worst was to happen.
We can spend a lot of time worrying and fretting about the worst possible outcome, but the reality is, often the worst possible outcome doesn’t even come about.
Reflect back over your career and life, what changes have you made in the past that you were initially fearful of making, but went ahead anyway? What did you do to overcome those fears back then? What support did you get that enabled you to get through it? What can you draw on from your previous experience and apply to your situation now?
If you want to make a career change, don’t let the fear of change hold you back. Find a way to address those fears, you will be far better for it in the long run.
Have you overcome a fear of making a career change? If so, what did you do to overcome it? I would love to know so please share in the comments below.
If you are an introverted woman at senior level who wants to make a career transition, but you are not clear about what you want to do, or you want a sounding board to guide you through the process, let’s have a chat. Find out whether I am the coach to support you by arranging to speak with me here.
First published on LinkedIn.
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