You can be anything, live anywhere, and work with anything. Take a minute and imagine this dream life. Who are you? Where are you living? What company are you working for and what position do you hold there? Or have you started your own business? Do you feel as if your opportunities are endless and exciting? 

Did you imagine the life you are living at this very moment? Possibly, but maybe not. How come? What’s stopping you?

Being able to define the life and career that you want will help you better understand yourself and what you could excel at. Today, people prefer to play life safe and have completely stopped chasing their dreams for a steady job with steady pay. 

Look at your idol whether they be an entrepreneur, an artist, an actor, or a politician– they risked everything to be where they are today. They put all their eggs in one basket, so to speak, and never looked back. Ironically, we are taught that when making investments, we should always diversify– “don’t put your eggs in one basket.” However, when you believe so whole-heartedly in yourself, everyone else will as well. Regarding singers, entertainers, or athletes– talent and a lifetime of practice are required but at a young age, they realized their skill and they went all in, chasing a life that was built around that skill. 

Unfortunately, most individuals do not realize their skills at an early age or do not find their passion until later in their life which often means that they decide to follow life’s predictable route. More often than not people choose their degrees based on job availabilities in the market and financial opportunities that said degrees may bring. Although there is nothing wrong with this, the issue that often arises is that these people will eventually reach a point of stagnancy in their careers. 

So how do you know that it’s time for a change? 

You might be telling yourself that….

• You wish were doing something more challenging
• You do not feel fulfilled while at work
• Your talents or way of thinking are not being fully appreciated by your employer or employees
• If you were doing/working with ____ you would be so much happier
• You would be ten times better at your job if you were working with something else

You spend your time waiting

If you spend the entire day waiting for 17.00 or the entire week waiting for Friday, that’s another sign. If a day at work doesn’t make you feel energized, you may lack a sense of belonging and the feeling that you are a vital part of the organization. 

Ask yourself: How do I feel Sunday night before going to bed knowing that I have a week full of work once I wake up?

If you feel anxious or dread the morning to come, chances are that you aren’t necessarily working where you should be. Believe it or not, some people wait all weekend for Monday morning because they look forward to getting back to work. Although work can be stressful, the stress their job brings does not come close to outweighing the excitement they feel when they are working. Is this you? If not, it might be time to explore your options. 

Your growth feels…stagnant

You feel as though you have no more room to grow, have reached a growth ceiling, have no outlined route to success or a promotion, or feel like you’re lacking purpose at your workplace. People have an innate need to grow and expand their knowledge, if you feel as though your growth has plateaued, this is yet another sign that it is time for a change. 

Now what?

If you are considering a change, ask yourself:

• What are my core values and interests? 
  • Can I align them with my career goals?
• What skills do I currently have and what skills do I want to focus on gaining more expertise in?
• Who am I when I’m at my best? What am I doing? 
• What inspires me? 
• What are my target/dream companies to work for?
• Is there a specific industry that excites or inspires me?
• How important is workplace culture for me? What would that culture look like? 
• What is “purposeful work”?
  • Is this on an internal or external level? 

When people ask about what your dream position or job would be, most would answer a “CEO/VD/Director of ____” at (company) or any high-level position at some other well-known corporation. Some want this, others think that they want this because that is what the world teaches us to want. It’s all we believe is available to us but the list of jobs available is endless and there is no reason why you can’t align your job with your passion. For example, you may have a passion for hockey but you may not be good enough to play professionally, so why not travel the world and scout hockey players for professional teams? People often forget that jobs like that exist. 

Remember that people spend the majority of their adult life at work; if you’re feeling restless at your current job, it’s never too late to make a change!