Listen To What Your Career Is Telling You

How did I get here? How did this happen to me? These are crucial questions I get from clients on a regular basis. In addition, why did my career seem so certain one day, yet so uncertain on another? I answer these questions by asking a question of my own: "Are you listening to what your career is telling you?" Most people don't listen to themselves. And, when things go wrong in their career, they don't understand why. In many cases, it's because they did not listen to their inner voice; a voice that does not lie. Your inner voice is vital because it tells you which path to take and which path to avoid. Listen to your inner voice and you'll be alright. Ignore the advice, and you will have problems in your career. Can it be that simple? The answer is yes. So, How Do You Listen To What Your Career Is Telling You? Follow These 3 Steps Below: 1. Ask Yourself Why You Are Not Listening There may be good reasons not to listen to yourself at this point in your career. Maybe you took a job because you needed a job and now you have to keep it. Maybe you needed a certain salary or a company name on your resume to make your work history look better. Taking a job that is not right for you just to pay the bills or advance your career is not always wrong; it just hurts and could delay what's right. The clients I talk to that are the unhappy in their career, the ones who are questioning themselves daily, the ones whose self-esteem is the lowest, are those who said they would do something in their career they knew was not right, but hoped it would work out in the end. Are you listening to yourself? If not, ask yourself why. Then ask yourself if not listening is worth the stress and constant dissatisfaction you feel inside. 2. Decide to Listen Listening is not always an easy thing to do. Think about the conversations you have with others on a regular basis. Are you fully present listening to what they have to say? Or, are you distracted thinking about something else? So, if you are having trouble listening to the people around you, imagine how hard it is for you to listen to what your gut is trying to tell you. Stop and take a deep breath. Ask yourself what you want in your career. How does it feel when you hear what you say? If you feel strong and grounded, you have your answer. You've really listened. If you feel fear and uncertainly, you have not hit it yet. Keep asking and listening until your answer rings true for you in your heart. Many people ask me what they should do next in their career. I tell them the answer is within them and has been there the whole time. They just have to tap into it. 3. Create Your Plan Of Attack You may be in a situation that you currently have no control over. Maybe you are in a job you are overqualified for. Maybe you are working for a person or a company that does not align with your goals or values in life. Maybe you have been unemployed for a while with no real job prospects in sight. This does not mean you are trapped in your situation forever. It means that this is where you are right now. The economy will pick up one day. When? No one knows for sure, but it will. This is when you will have more choices. So, get ready. Write down what you want in your career and the specific steps you will take to get there. Once you have your plan, get moving in that direction.