How To Get Out Of A Career Rut

If you have been in the same role, industry or company for a long time, chances are at some point in time you have experienced the feeling of needing a change of scenery. In this article we explore how you can get out of a career rut.

To Get Something You've Never Had, You Have To Do Something You've Never Done

Part of the reason people stay in a job they dislike, or don't study something they are passionate about, or make any other decision which would move them closer to living the life of their dreams, is because it's comfortable where they are. The thought of having to look for another job, or enrol in that course, or ask for that promotion is too unfamiliar or scary; and although there is a level of unhappiness where they are currently at, the pain isn't great enough to want to change or try something new. In reality, if you want to have your future the way YOU want it, you are going to have to muster up the courage to step outside of your comfort zone. Just like Brene Brown says, choosing Courage over Comfort is part of living your life with integrity.

Timing

One of the factors to consider when making any career change decisions (or in fact any life decisions) is timing. If you have a lot of financial responsibilities and not a lot of savings, it's safe to say quitting your job without another job to go to probably isn't the wisest choice. Timing is critically important. Take the time to research your options when considering switching careers or roles is essential. When following your passion, starting night school or weekend classes and gradually reducing your hours to part time can be one way to transition out of your current job into what you really want to do.

Stand on the Shoulders of Giants

Discussing your plans with those who have successfully achieved what you want to do is a great place to start. They may offer valuable advice on how they would've done things differently, or what worked well for them. Modelling what they did to achieve their results is a sure-fire way to move in the right direction of your dreams.

Passion and Purpose

When feeling stuck in a rut, one of the main contributing factors to this is that you know, somewhere deep down inside, that this isn't what you were born to do. More often than not though, knowing what it IS that you were born to do (otherwise known as your life's purpose) isn't something people have spent time exploring. So where do you start? I always recommend looking at what lights you up - what are you passionate about? What do you spend most of your free time thinking about? What do you love to study or read about? These are all clues for the direction you want to head - your true North.