How to move forward when you’re not ready to move forward.
One of the most common things I hear from clients before they’re clients is, “I want to know I’m on the right path for me and not crazy.”
If they’re business owners, they’re looking for the right type of clients. They’re wondering if they’re selling the right product or service. They want to hire the right people and not get burned. They’re wondering about time management and how to get it all done.
If they’re working professionals, they want to know if they’re still in the right job for them. Or how to do that tricky work-life balance thing. Some don’t like their boss and they want to know what to do about it. They wonder if they should go back to school or update their resume.
Occasionally, I’ve worked with high-school and college-age kids to help them think about what degree or career to pursue.
Each person I’ve ever worked with is successful already. They’ve accomplished a lot. They’re fully functioning members of society. And yet, the thing that’s missing for them, the thing they each want, is clarity and confidence that yes, this is the path to be on.
No matter how old we are or accomplished we are, it’s nice to have validation and encouragement so we can confidently step out of our comfort zone because moving forward is risky and scary.
No one, not even the best coach or strategist in the whole wide world, can make that forward-moving decision for you. Having worked with hundreds of accomplished individuals as they determine their next move, this is what I’d ask you if you were stuck and we were meeting for coffee:
What is it that you want?
Sometimes we get angsty when the original thing we worked so hard to get or to pursue isn’t as fulfilling as it once was and that’s confusing. We might not realize how we’ve grown and changed. The new job that was a stretch for us is now easy and we’re ready for a bigger challenge. Maybe your boss moved on and now the company you work for is no longer interesting. Maybe life circumstances changed and the time is now to pursue that dream. Being honest with yourself about what you want, is the first step. Once you know, write it down.
BTW this is one of the hardest questions to answer for ourselves. Take a few weeks or months to determine your honest answer to this. Better to be thoughtful than hasty.
Where are things currently?
What does life look like right now in terms of your “want”?
What’s the challenge of getting it?
Bad boss, the economy, childhood, lack of resources, lack of skills, where you live, low motivation, fear, current lifestyle, whatever it is, name it.
What makes the outcome of this so important?
What’s your why? Whether it’s your dream job, dream business, dream lifestyle there’s a reason behind wanting it.
What options can you consider to help you get what you want based on your answers above?
Your options can be the most seemingly simple answers or they can be the most outlandish. Write them all down. I believe there’s always a way to getting what you want.
Looking over everything you’ve thought about and written down, what are your thoughts re: the attainability of all this?
Is it possible? What’s one action step you can take that would move you closer to what you want?
Go do it!
Don’t keep thinking about it. Do your one little step right now. If it’s a simple Google search, do it. If it’s researching jobs available in your area do some research for 15 minutes. If it’s updating your resume, dig it up, read through it and create a new resume project folder and put it in there. Email a past client to touch base with them. Anything is better then nothing.
By doing this exercise you’ll be moving forward without making a major decision (yet). One step forward is moving forward. Eventually, you’ll know exactly when you’re ready to go full steam ahead.