7 Signs You Are Ready for a Change

The end of another year often encourage us to reevaluate our lives and the path we are on. In this episode we are taking a closer look at some of the “STOP” signs that may be sapping your power and how to release negative influences, recharge your passion, and restore your faith in opportunities and possibilities.

For me, it took a major life event coupled with a violation of my trust to start looking at where I was in my career and to light a fire under my butt.

There are so many ways that being overwhelmed and just plain over it can manifest in your day to day life, especially if you are experiencing a major upheaval or overhaul in your life. If you’re looking forward to Friday, and it’s only Sunday night…you have a problem. If people avoid asking you “how’s it going” because they don’t want to hear your doom and gloom response of “I’m not complaining, since nobody is listening” (which is total BS by the way)…Or you’re spending more time with your coworker who seems to have a terminal head cold with the hopes that you will get sick and be out of work a few days. Yup, you might be ready for a change! So let’s countdown some of the signs you might already be displaying…I will even share some personal examples from my own career to help illustrate that for one, that I’m not perfect.

#7 Escaping into the past. It's always cool to reminisce on good times from the past, but when the past begins to consume how you live in the present, it's a problem. Trips down memory lane is like soul food, just be careful not to take up residence there! This is the new co-worker who gets hung up on “well, that’s not how we used to do this at my old job” or when you commiserate with your office-mate to talk about how good things used to be before the new manager came in. Spending too much of the present dwelling on the past hinders personal and professional growth. You will miss valuable opportunities with this kind of thinking. Stop looking back, you’re not going that way!

#6 Feeling numb, emotionless, impassive, or aloof. Whether you suffer from paralysis by analysis, or you are simply avoiding the challenge of making a decision, feeling numb is a symptom of fear. This is when you are simply in survival mode. If your go-to response is “whatever” or “it is what it is”, you have already resigned yourself to being at the effect of your situation. When you take a deeper look at the root cause of your detachment, you might discover a pattern of behavior. All you have to do from there is decide, “how is this pattern helping me to progress?”

#5 Passing on opportunities out of fear. That’s right! Take off your scaredy-pants, and put on your big-kid shoes! This one is usually your inner critic—you know, the “not good enough” voice. Passing on promotions, company outings, networking events, and invitations to participate in your own damn success is indicative that you might be afraid of something. Could be you’re afraid to fail…others are afraid of succeeding. Hmm—what does that all mean? You tell me. How is that working for you?...

#4 Current situation is not supportive of growth. Sometimes we don’t realize that we are actually running game on ourselves. If you are making excuses for why you stay in a situation that is not conducive to your growth, then you are actively choosing not to participate in your own progress. I had a client who worked in a role where his manager did not coach his performance and the company did not give him the proper tools and resources to do his job well. He stayed because he believed in the mission of the organization. But what do you think happened when his performance failed to meet standards? You must advocate for yourself and ask for what you need to perform well. Seek opportunities or CREATE them. Or, just stay safe there and do absolutely nothing. It’s your choice.

#3 Lying to yourself. Your personal mantra has become “fake it ‘til you make it” and some days you don't even recognize yourself when you look in the mirror. But who are you really fooling? This is a sign you are not leading a fulfilling life. At work, this may manifest itself in ways where your personal values or beliefs are in conflict with what people expect from you in your role. So, cut the crap. Start getting real about where your work is not aligning with your values, intentions, and purpose. Then start to trim the fat. This may mean looking for a new job or even firing some of your clients who demand too much of your time without being profitable.

#2 Relationships start to feel insincere or unrewarding. Think back to when you were in high school—chances are, you maintained a couple of superficial friendships that were not worthy of your humbled awesomeness. But you probably did it for some other benefit, right? Extra tater tots in the cafeteria, a better locker, or not getting your face pounded in by the school bully. When you look around your workplace and your gut is telling you “I wish I could delete him/her from my friends list”, you should follow your intuition. Stop worrying about people thinking you’re being fake or brown nosing. And definitely take stock of your business associates. One-sided or thankless professional relationships (and personal) are a drain on your energy to do what truly motivates you. Find relationships that are worthy of what you’re bringing to the table each and every time. Here is my obligatory cautionary tale. At one point in my career, I had a friend who did nothing but treat my ears like garbage receptacles by filling them with her personal dramas and lack of interest in the job. She would encourage me not to work hard, made us both late for our shift when we carpooled, you name it. But one day the fun stopped being funny. It didn't take very long to realize her negativity was dulling my shine, not to mention tarnishing my professional image. Not much surprise that she was let go for poor attendance, and I was promoted a short time after (thankfully, I never did let my hard work slip).

#1 You’re reading this blog. Maybe something has been nagging at you for a while now. Apart from settling for less or feeling overwhelmed, it seems like you already have an awareness that you’re on the verge of doing something other than what you are doing right now. Finding this broadcast clearly confirms your readiness to move forward. And I congratulate you for that realization!

What to do about it:

Get real with yourself. Acknowledge that what you’re feeling can be effecting your behavior.
Find new inspiration. Challenge yourself to read a book about a situation that is similar to yours. Take a kickboxing class. Or just listen to the new Bruno Mars song on repeat. Do your own thing.
Take back your control. Figure out where all of your time is going. Or stop wasting time doing nothing! Then reinvest your newfound minutes and hours in how you can reconnect with what makes you feel fulfilled.
Work-swap. If you’re always the guy at work who gets volunteered for organizing stuff because you’re really good at Excel spreadsheets, then step up and volunteer yourself for a different role. Don’t let your boss or your team box you in!

Hatch a plan! Don’t I say this all the time? What will it take to get you out of your own way? Look at the bigger picture—you can get a certification or degree in a different field, expand your professional network, or look for volunteer opportunities that are aligned with where you are going. Start looking at the smallest step you can take to get you closer to your goal.

Launch your changes THIS YEAR! Let’s figure out #yournextstep together today! Get your energy leadership assessment. This personalized assessment offers insight into your behaviors that are directly or indirectly impacting your leadership, career trajectory, relationships, sales, success, and even your bottom line. It’s like a credit report for your attitude or botox for your soul. Get yours today!