Tuesday 15 April 2014

Changing Careers - Overcoming the Fear of Change

photo credit: SalFalko via photopin cc 

Making a change can be overwhelming. It doesn't matter whether you're making a change in your personal life, or your professional life. Change can be stressful. We all share a fear of the unknown to varying degrees. It's easy to get comfortable in a situation, but comfort doesn't necessarily imply satisfaction. So how do you get yourself to the point where you're content with your lot in life?

If I had a dime for everyone that suggests you should just go for it, I could retire to my tropical island in the sun. It's not that simple. We all have bills to pay, and most of us have people who are counting on us. It's just not practical to quit our day jobs and start from scratch.

This doesn't mean we can't achieve our goals. Several months ago I decided I wanted to commit more time to writing. It's not a career for me yet. I still have my day job. In the past I would tell myself it was just too much of a time commitment, but it really wasn't.

Consider how much time you devote to activities that can be considered time wasters - watching television, surfing the web, playing video games. The list goes on an on. Then ask yourself again, do you have the time to commit to becoming what you really want to be in life - in your spare time - without giving up your day job. If you're anything like me the answer will be a resounding yes!

Change doesn't happen over night, but don't be afraid to start. You don't have to give up your day job, so don't stress about it. Keep paying the bills, but don't give up on your aspirations to be something more. If you really take a long hard look, and if you are determined enough, you'll find the time to do this.

Consider a rock band like Nirvana that started in a garage, same goes for Apple. If Steve Jobs had accepted mediocrity, if he didn't think he could launch something special from a garage, I wouldn't be typing this post on my Ipad right now.

Success won't happen overnight. It won't come easy. But it can be achieved no matter your circumstance. So go ahead, give up on that two hours of surfing through your Twitter feed a night, and see what you can accomplish. It's really just about giving up the excuses and charging ahead.

Good luck with your journey. I know I'm enjoying mine so far, and leave a comment to let me know what you do to overcome your doubts. I'm always open to ideas.  

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