How to Know if You Are in the Right Career

 How to Know if You Are In The Right Career
by Kathleen Gage

Ever wonder if you are in the right career? If you are like most people you have. Did you know that 80% of people are currently misemployed? They are either underemployed, not happy with their current position or not fairly compensated for their skill and/or function set. If so many people are misemployed, why do they stay in their current situation? Why do they not take the necessary steps to move into something that will be fulfilling and something they can look forward to doing every day - a situation they can truly be proud of?

The following are some of the most common reasons:
•Complacency
•Fear of the unknown
•Fear of change
•Not knowing what their options are
•Don’t want to give up the familiar, no matter how uncomfortable the familiar is
•Staying within their comfort zone
•No time to search for something new
•They just don’t know how to make a change
•Fear of failure
•Fear of success (they may actually get what they dreamed of)
•They fear the job search is more frustrating than their current unsatisfactory job
•Not knowing where to begin

How often have we heard others give these reasons for not moving out of an unpleasant situation? How often have we said this to ourselves if we are actually misemployed? Imagine looking back over your life and saying, “I wish I would have done it differently.”

So often in life, it is not what we do that we regret, rather what we don’t do that we regret the most. Things like not making a change when we knew a change was in order, or not taking the appropriate steps to move into a situation that would lend itself to a more fulfilling life both personally and professionally.

If you or anyone you know are looking to make a career change, the following steps will help to make a smoother transition and find the courage to make that shift:

1.Evaluate your current situation
2.Decide you are ready to change
3.Give yourself a timeframe for making the change
4.Get excited about the change
5.Become enlightened about your own values and realize you are worth a great situation
6.Decide what kind of career would truly make you happy
7.Determine what would bring you fulfillment
8.Believe you deserve it
9.Be willing to put time and effort into you transition
10.Have a plan of action
11.Take action on a daily basis
12.Consult with people who have been successful in their own career shift
13.Be willing to invest in yourself
14.Work with a coach to keep you motivated
15.Go after what you want

Most of all - be willing to acknowledge that life is not a dress rehearsal, this is the real thing. When you look back over your life are you going to wish you had it to do all over and you had taken risks to move you into situation that would bring a deep level of satisfaction to you and your loved ones? The reality is that when we are in a career that brings us a deep sense of satisfaction, all those around us benefit from the fact that we are more fully present in life rather than constantly talking about wishing things would change. The truly successful people in life are the ones who are willing to create their happiness on a daily basis with the minute-by-minute actions they take and the thoughts they entertain.

About the Author

About the Author
Kathleen Gage is a keynote speaker and business advisor based out of Draper, Utah. She is the author of several books including Street Smarts Marketing and Promotions. To sign up for Gage’s free Marketing and Promotions Ezine visit www.kathleengage.com

 Kathleen Gage

More Articles 

Creating your Vision for your business, career, & life. - BZ Riger Hull
Creating your Vision for your business, career, & life. By BZ Riger-Hull, Certified Success Coach http://www.in-spiros.com Many people go through their daily lives feeling overwhelmed. There are so many things to do and there never seems to be...

Business Career, Executive Coaching Article - Leadership: Understanding the Human Condition - Ruth Zanes
"Nothing is more practical than for people to deepen themselves. The more you understand the human condition the more effective you are as a businessperson. Human depth makes business sense." - From Leadership: The Inner Side of Greatness by...

Is A Travel Nursing Career A Dream Come True? - Kevin Erickson
Deciding what job to pursue after college entails more brain cells that most activities. Unlike deciding on what car to buy or what clothes to wear, one must give the decision its due because it will effect your happiness and quality of life for the...

Kick Starting a Career in Criminal Justice - Matt McAllister
By Alexa Apallas Do you watch Cold Case religiously? Do you love CSI in all its incarnations? Do you devour police procedural novels, like the ones by Ed McBain? Are you interested in a career that doesn’t always involve spending...

Serendipity: The New Career Science - Cathy Goodwin Ph D
My neighbor "Ed" found his career, he says, when he literally fell from the choir loft into the church organ. He was fascinated by the specialist who showed up to fix the damage. Ed began by sweeping up the shop, then served an apprenticeship. Now...

Crucial research to catapult your interview performance and your career - Annemarie Cross
Millions of dollars are spent annually on marketing research by savvy companies aiming to maximize their marketing dollars when showcasing their products and services to their prospective clients. They recognize that to capture the attention of a...

Making New Career Habits and Resolutions Stick - Scott Brown
Whether it's for New Years' or any other time of year, it takes discipline to change your behavior. Many people realize that new habits like attending more networking events or taking on special projects at work could help them get ahead in their...

Make Your Career Offshore Proof - Max Stein
There has been a lot of talk recently about American jobs moving overseas…offshoring is the buzzword for it. During difficult economic times it is often easy to find a scapegoat to blame for a downturn in jobs. While government reports and...

Is a Career Change on Your Horizon? - Kathi MacNaughton
Making a career change is nothing new in today's job market. I've heard it said that the average American changes careers at least once in his or her life. Long gone are the days of working for the same company from the time you graduate high...

The Myths of Career Change - Jeffrey Levine
Chances are you already have many ideas about what it takes to successfully transition into a new career, even if you have never done it before. Some of those ideas might be useful – most probably are not. In this article I would like to expose...

Perfection vs. Excellence (Business, Career, Life Coaching Series) - Ruth Zanes
"(Howard) Hughes never learned how to convert his knowledge to practical application. Instead he sought a perfection that assured failure." - From Empire: The Life, Legend and Madness of Howard Hughes by Donald L. Bartlett & James B. Steel How...

4 Powerful Career Education Tips: Success Is In Your Attitude! - Paul Megan
Depressed about your work? Feeling dispirited? A savvy career education review may tell you it's not your job. Career education wisdom says, "You have to choose to do the best you can with what you have where you are." So, short of...