Why does it feel so daunting to change careers?

One of the things you’ll see over and over again as a career consultant is that people want to find purpose or meaning in what they do – they just don’t know how to go about it.

A good career coach asks lots of questions. The idea is to drill deeper and deeper until you’ve found the main motivation for change, which helps people realize their own solutions.

Here’s the thing: our brains don’t really like change. When we first try to do something differently, it will usually be met with resistance.

Resistance is sneaky. It shows up in unexpected ways; you procrastinate and make excuses until you’ve sabotaged yourself without even realizing it. The key is to be aware of it.

A lot of people don’t know what their unique strength is. They assume that whatever they’re good at, other people are good at that, too. Most of the time, this just isn’t true.

Two common but connected problems are 1) believing you don’t have the skills to do something else, and 2) perceived job mobility: how easy/hard you think it will be to find another role.

There’s an assumption that you constantly need to be moving upwards and taking on new roles just for the sake of it. But this idea of a fixed career path is flawed. It pulls people into managerial roles they have no desire for, potentially taking them away from work they actually like.

The biggest opportunity you have is to learn what you’re good at and enjoy doing. Only then can you find a balance between doing it and earning an income that works for you.

An easy way to do this is by experimenting – to make lateral moves, rather than vertical ones.

So take the time to find out. Try different things and ask for feedback from colleagues. Ask your friends, “What one thing am I good at?” Chances are, you’ll be surprised by the answers.