“You always overestimate what you can do in a year and underestimate what you can do in a lifetime”
Not sure who that quote is from but I have heard it many times and each time I hear it, it rings so true. I have chosen it as a theme as it seems that many people, especially those in the process of a careershift are beginning to find themselves in a bit of a log jam wishing the whole thing would just move faster.
Speed is something that we are aware of in our society, the quicker you can do something the better. But often it is useful to have things develop at a slow pace so that your ideas can mature and grow into something even bigger, with more impact, than it started out with.
We get enthused with a new project like changing career and want to get it going fast and that is all well and good, but to do something well we need to do it well, if you know what I mean.
I am constantly reminding myself to be in the moment and trust that whatever is happening is exactly as it should be. I take action, do the best I can in the moment, and trust that the outcome is all part of the plan; even if it is not the outcome I had set my sights on. And, I remind myself that often when I have felt frustrated and annoyed at the length of time it seems to be taking to reach a particular goal, something often seems to happen that makes the whole project even better. Something that, had I tried to rush to the finish line as fast as possible, wouldn't have happened at all.
People turn up that can add to the idea, resources appear from places I wouldn’t have thought of and by having my idea tested I have refined it into a much better proposition.
It is the same when you want to change direction in your career. Many people come to me wanting to find the career that will at last make them happy. However they want to do it really quickly and without taking too much time to understand the significance of a career shift.
It is interesting that this website is called careershifters, not careerchangers. To shift implies moving from one place but still being in touch with the core of yourself. To change feels like a move away totally, but the problem with that is we often still leave our true selves behind.
To discover the career that would truly make your heart sing needs time to mature. It has been my experience that if someone jumps at the first idea, without taking the time to discover if it really is the right thing for them, that they often find themselves doing the same thing all over again a few years down the road.
Because we get impatient we overestimate how quickly we can find our true passion and so jump at the first thing. However, if you take the time now to do the work, get the support and guidance you need and have the patience to allow a deeper understanding of what would really fulfil you then you would be truly surprised at what you can achieve in five years, let alone a lifetime.
So if you recognise yourself in this, if you feel like your career shift plans are delayed, take a step back and survey your life from an outsider’s point of view. What might that outsider see and suggest? How can you shift your perspective and instead of feeling frustrated with the seeming lack of progress, step back and see that maybe it is a case of just needing more time and space to evolve?
And for those of you who are in a time crunch, and I am aware that there are many, maybe it is a case of an interim solution. Finding something in the meantime to tide you over but never letting that crush you and stop the real work of finding your passion. Knowing that just because you couldn’t swing a real shift this year that it doesn’t mean you won’t ever. Just keep on going, keep doing the work that you need to do to unearth the career shift that will take you up amongst those that love what they do, every day. Then what you achieve in a lifetime will really begin to come to fruition.
For more advice on what to do if you are in a hurry to change career go to: "Changing career in a hurry"
Jessica works internationally as a Life Fulfilment Coach empowering people to discover their passions, identify how to live them and gain fulfilment in every area of life. Using the traditional coaching tools of conversation, exploration and creating accountability she also adds in powerful Neuro Linguistic Programming that enables change to take place both internally and externally. She has worked with many career shifters and particularly enjoys using her own life experience, including her time in the corporate world, to support those making whatever move they choose. She offers a free introductory session and if you would like to arrange a time for her to call you please email jessica@jessicamcgregorjohnson.com or call 0203 239 6155. For more information visit www.jessicamcgregorjohnson.com
She has recently published her first book Remembering Perfection - Everyday Inspiration for Living your Spirituality, an easy to use “how to” guide for adding more meaning back into your life. For more information visit www.rememberingperfection.com
She also offers a free monthly inspirational newsletter; Connections, and you can sign up for it at http://www.jessicamcgregorjohnson.com/contact-me-sign-up.html
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By Selina Barker
Wow, this article is brilliant Jessica. I feel like this a lot - getting frustrated and impatient when things aren't moving forward as quickly as I like. If things suddenly seem to be delayed I take it as a sign that something is wrong and see a lot of that attitude amongst career changers too.