I have only known a handful of people who had a clear calling from a young age. Most of us discover our career path in a different way. One client couldn’t stand her commute anymore. Another wanted more financial stability after years of contract employment. A third had been passed over for multiple promotions with no clear feedback about development she could focus on. Each woman had reached their limit. I heard anger in their voices. I recognized the energized commitment in their bodies. A change was coming and they wanted help navigating it.
Other clients have come to me in an earlier stage of the “what's next” inquiry. They recognize it as fantasizing about leaving their role or calling in sick to work. This can be an incredibly uncomfortable place to be. People often get stuck here because they believe they have to choose an ideal role before taking any steps forward. After being asked as children “what do you want to be when you grow up?” and by their managers “where do you see yourself in five years?”, they feel paralyzed. If career development is a linear journey along a straight path, their next step could be the WRONG one! If they don’t know what to do next, isn’t it better to do nothing at all?⠀There is an important difference between staying still to listen to your own guidance and ignoring the question that is stirring inside. Sometimes when people choose to wait they are actually just avoiding the discomfort of uncertainty.
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