There are many of you out there who are contemplating a career change at this very moment. Then there are those of you who have been there, done it and…it didn’t work out.
The process of career change is very complex and many different elements play a part in it. So, is there any wonder that often one, two or more elements don’t work out as you envisaged?
So if you recently changed your career and it didn’t work out as anticipated, you are most probably feeling hugely disappointed, you are asking yourself a lot of serious questions and you are experiencing a lot of self-doubt.
If you are one of these people, I would like to offer one word which might potentially carry you through this tough period.
The word I am talking about is: “bounce”. Let´s see what the dictionary has to say about it. To bounce: to fall rapidly, hit bottom suddenly with impact and rebound decisively.
Wow, pretty powerful, isn´t it? For me, these words stand out: fall, hit bottom and rebound decisively. Yes, changing career and then challenging that decision is not for the faint hearted. So, what are the possible steps for pulling yourself up and bouncing back?
Firstly, decide that you will treat all your falls as part of a bouncing action; meaning: the harder you fall, the faster you will bounce back. Don´t view your “falls” as “failures”. Take them exactly for what they are: trials and errors. Falls and rebounds. Mistakes and lessons learnt. Action and reaction. As you can see, the movement is constant. And movement is good news. It means, you are not sitting still. It means you are going after your goals and dreams. It might not be straight forward, it might be full of falls and rebounds but you are out there, taking action. And that is more than can be said about most of the population. So if you recently changed your career and it didn’t work out as anticipated, be immensely proud of yourself. Now bounce back and try again. This time you will bounce higher.
Secondly, “hitting bottom” will change you forever. It will either destroy you or you will emerge smarter and stronger. You will either burry yourself in self-pity or you will turn into an unstoppable, determined, super-charged “I am getting the career I want” hero. The choice is yours; I just felt like reminding you about the options.
Thirdly, think about which part of the process has the biggest potential to become “the making of you”. Is it the fall or is it the decisive rebound? Where will your focus be? Will it be on sadness about what could have been and should have been or will it be on the new adventures that lie ahead and bring so many opportunities? Stop looking back and start looking ahead. Remember, from the bottom you can only go up.
Lastly, enjoy the bouncing motion. By definition, it will bring you higher than you have ever been. Happy bouncing!
P.S. And by the way, feel free to apply the process to any other situation in your life that might call for it.
