Uncertain about your next career or business move? Try this!

Exploring Life’s Next Chapter: Is it Time for an Adventure?

The topic of your next career move has been coming up a lot lately in my world. Many of my friends and colleagues are entering a phase of life with children in their later years of Grade School or choosing their first course of post-secondary education. It’s an exciting time for our young people, as they embark on the world with fresh eyes and eager hearts to explore what awaits them and start earning a living. Similarly, their parents, at this stage, sometimes choose to point that lens inwards to question if they are still on the right path for their career, if they have a “next” in them and if not, what is next for them.

When I went looking for a famous quote about change so I could attribute it correctly, I came across the above statement that’s been attributed to Plato, who is referring to the even more ancient Greek philosopher, Heraclitus (500 BC) with regards to my now found, quote:

At which point I subsequently went down an internet rabbit hole of quotes about change and even phobias about change:

The fear of change, or metathesiophobia , is a phobia that causes people to avoid changing their circumstances due to being extremely afraid of the unknown.

And yet, while we watch our young people bravely enter their new found freedom post High School, fear is often not the first thought on the agenda. So what is it about the passage of time that makes the thought of change so daunting, or surrounded by fear even?

Research indicates that a fear of change is one of the single most career limiting moves you can make. Psychology Today says we fear change because we can’t anticipate the outcome. “Fear is an emotion that gets in the way—we lose clarity about our potential.”

And yet, lack of change can be riskier than changing. Whether it’s in your career, your business or in life, you risk being left behind if you don’t continue to grow.

If you’re curious about what’s behind “door number 2 – (a Price is Right reference for those of you in that age bracket.) and what your next career move might be, let’s read on.

Exploring Life’s Next Chapter

I find that my people get curious first – curious if a career move is right at this stage of life; if it’s “worth” making a change and often worry about the risk involved with making a change later in their career. All around me I see people ‘holding on for retirement” as stock options will come due, the potential of a lifetime of “free” healthcare coverage and the tantalizing potential of financial freedom… in X number of years, are very practical reasons to stay the course and not make a career change at this stage of life.

But what of the time spent working in that space, the status quo of sticking to it and what of the lost opportunity that has not been explored? It comes down to how much you want it – the potential risk involved, and if it’s worth it – to you – to explore more life fulfillment in exchange for the certainty of “door number one.”

Assessing Your Strengths and Passions

I’ve written many times about what it means to have a growth mindset  – of adopting an approach that invites you to adapt to changes, overcome hurdles and embrace new opportunities. 

You can read a couple of those here:

Why Courage is Important in Business & Life – Susan Elford

Growth mindset for maximum achievement: Elevate Your Impact (susanelford.com)

You can take the same approach to opening your mind to the possibility that there is more to learn and experience, by putting that magnifying glass on yourself: understanding your strengths and passions is crucial for achieving career satisfaction. I saw Zahra Alharazi-Schmidt speak at a Leadership Conference recently. Alharazi-Schmidt spoke of that sweet spot in your career as being at the intersection of what you’re skilled at, with what your gifts are, with what the world will pay you to do.

Which brings me to the question: do you know yourself? Truly… know yourself? We change throughout our lives, perhaps it’s time to take out one of your past personality assessments or values exercises to revisit what’s important to you. Understanding how you’re motivated and what you value most in life and in your career will help with your decision to try something new, and what that “something new” might be. Here’s a worksheet I created that can help you with some of those answers.

Identify Your ‘Next’ Phase Through Personal Reflection

Identifying the next phase of your business, career or life’s evolution will require deep personal reflection. Listening to the sound of your own inner voice can get old, and the dog, while supportive, will love you no matter what you do. 

My favourite way to explore, identify, and claim that next path for me is in the beautiful community of a retreat. Retreats provide the perfect environment for this introspection as they invite you to step away from your daily routine and immerse yourself in a peaceful setting, surrounded by others seeking the same thing. If a retreat is calling your name – I may have just the right fit for you. 

Check out this page for more info about my upcoming annual retreat in Queenstown, New Zealand. Without fail, my retreat participants emerge with a renewed sense of clarity, more aligned in their purpose and ready to take courageous action for their next steps.

Seeking Professional Guidance

But wait! Coaches and psychologists aren’t here to tell you what to do. A great gift of having an external lens, or mirror on your self-reflection journey is that it can help you understand yourself better, see your strengths (and weaknesses!) in a new way, and empower you to take action to make a change. The differentiator with a coach vs. a psychologist is their craft is designed to inspire you to take clear action with your next steps, helping you set realistic goals, troubleshoot potential obstacles, and develop actionable plans. By working with a business or leadership coach, you gain a trusted advisor committed to helping you achieve your professional and personal aspirations.

Identifying your next career move isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes courage, conviction, and a growth mindset to open your mind and heart to the possibilities in front of you. 

I invite you to get curious, address your fear of change, and take some time for self-reflection, which you can choose to do on your own, with the help of a coach, or surrounded by the beautiful intimate community of a retreat environment. Want to know a secret? The answer is in you right now. You just have to find the courage to look for it, and then take action. 

I’m here if you need me. It is a journey, not a destination, and there’s no wrong answers. The only answer is the one that’s right for you.

To your success,