There's Always A Reason Not To Do Something In Your Career

As a career coach, people are always talking to me about their careers. We discuss their dreams, wishes, and future plans. But when I ask some of these people how they will implement their plan, their reasons for not moving forward begin to flow. Their reasons vary. Some people tell me they are too old. Some are too young. Some have the wrong education or not enough. Some have too much experience, while others don't have as much as they'd like. Today, the reason is the pretty consistent. The economy. How can you have a job you love when you are lucky to be working? I am not saying these reasons are not real for people. I am saying that I won't go along with their reasons. The best piece of advice I can give to anyone is "you can still move forward." You can still take steps towards what you want. The timing may not be to your liking, but you can reach your goals if you keep working towards them. So, How Can You Move Past Your Reasons So They Don't Hold You Back Anymore? Follow These 3 Steps Below. 1. Identity Your Reasons. Everyone has them. The things you say to yourself about why you can't have what you want in your career. Your reasons are scary to you. But really, your reasons are just a non-productive conversation you keep having with yourself over and over again. And, what gets repeated becomes real. Ask yourself, "What's preventing me from reaching my career goals?" Write your reasons down. Once you see your reasons, the power they have over you can disappear. Your reasons are out in the open. No more hiding. Now, you can deal with them. 2. Decide To Let Your Reasons Go. You may say you want your reasons to go away, but there may be a part of you that likes to keep your reasons around. As long as you have an excuse, you don't have to move forward. As long as you have an obstacle, you don't have to take a chance or risk. Standing still might be uncomfortable, but it may be better than your perceived alternative. Letting go can be challenging. It means you release what's familiar in favor of what's unfamiliar. Letting go is a step you have to take to get what you really want. You cannot open the door to something new, until you close the door to what's no longer working. 3. Go For What You Want. Once your reasons are out of the way, the sky's the limit for you. You can freely ask yourself what you want, and you won't have your negative thoughts telling you why you can't have it anymore. You can go into planning mode. Begin by writing down your goal. Then, list the steps you will take to reach your goal which is your plan. Prioritize the steps in your plan and open your calendar. Put into your calendar when you will work on what. Look at your calendar, your goal, and your plan everyday. Side note: the economy is tougher today. This doesn't mean that you get a free pass to wait until things improve before you act. The work you do today will pay off in the end. The results may not be as fast as want, but they will come if you continue your efforts. As long as you are working on your goals, you can reach them. Goal attainment only stops when you stop. If you keep moving forward, taking small steps every day, you can get to where you want to go.