Get Out of Your Rut and Into Your Real Life!

So, you have the job that everyone told you would be great. You are earning good money, but there’s only one problem--you are not happy anymore. You want to do something else, but you realize that you have no idea what that “something” is. This article gives you clear simple steps to begin moving towards the job you were born to do! You can engage in the process by yourself, but it’s probably more fun to do it with a friend or coach. Identify What You Like and Dislike About the Jobs You Have Been In The first step is to take some time out to discover what you have really enjoyed (and hated) in the jobs you have held so far. Give each job a heading and write down what you really enjoyed (if anything!) about each position and what you really did not like. If you have not held any positions you liked, identify what you really enjoy doing in your life. Come on, there must be something! Design Your Ideal Job Once you have identified what you really like doing, the next step is to write out a profile of your ideal job. Give yourself time to think about it. Use the following questions as prompters when you are doing this. Leave the “Yeah, buts” out for a while.

1. What would you do if money was no object?
2. What would you do if you knew you could not fail?
3. Have you ever seen somebody do a job and say to yourself you’d love that job. If so, what was it?
4. What did you really enjoy doing when you were a child?
5. What TV programs did you find inspirational? What in particular appealed to you about them? For example, if you loved programs about interior design and you like doing up your room, could there be a career in that?
6. What work sectors (if any) appeal to you and why?
7. If you like doing more than one thing, is there any way they could be combined?

Who Else Is Doing This Job? When you have drawn up a profile of your ideal job, look around for people who are doing this (or if not, something similar). Once you begin to develop a clear picture of the type of position you want, you will be amazed by how you will begin to see it everywhere! You now need to talk to people who are doing this job. Use everyone in your network to see if you can find people doing this sort of work. Ask them for 20-30 minutes of their time and explain to them why you wish to speak to them. Most people are very generous to someone who wants to change jobs. Here is a sample of some of the questions you could ask them. Make sure you speak to at least three people. Be aware that some people can be very negative. Thank them and move on. Describe a typical day/week

1. What do you like most about your job?
2. What do you like least about your job?
3. How did you get into this position? Ask about experience, qualifications etc.
4. What advice would you give to someone trying to get into this position?
5. Can you give me an idea of the salary range?

Design Your Path Once you have gathered the information from the first three steps here, the next thing is to identify what the next step is. From the last step, you should now have some ideas about how to get into your desired career. Identify what the first step is. If it looks as though you are going to have to go back to education, explore your options around working within an organization in the sector before you get your ideal job. And remember, it’s your life and your career and if you are not doing something you love, you are being selfish by not sharing your unique gifts with the world! Anne Walsh is a life coach based in Co. Galway. You receive a free 10 part e-course called “Personal Freedom” when you sign up to her free monthly newsletter: Bring your best self to light. Comments and opinions always welcome--really!