Career Coaching · Tranziție

Managing the Emotional Roller-Coaster During a Career Transition

Such a process depends THE MOST on being very clear about “your why” — defined through deep, long reflection — and on staying anchored to it at all times.

If you have “the why” — simple, clear and steady — you survive and succeed. If not, you fail.

The rest is just like that saying: if you really want to do it you find a way, if not you find an explanation — which is actually an excuse in disguise.

What I’ve Learned

I have changed quite a few jobs — some I left without having another job in sight — and I am going through a major career change from public administration and academia to coaching and entrepreneurship. Here’s what I’ve learned from my life and my clients:

🔔 Tip 1

The only time it’s hard

When I do stuff that is not aligned with the reasons I took that road.
When I forget why I did it.

🔔 Tip 2

It’s like a breakup.

If you had at least one successful breakup in your life — i.e. relatively healthy and with closure — you know what I mean. There are a lot of similarities between our relationship with careers and with loved ones. It starts from expectations that are not supposed to be fulfilled by your job, boss, team or career.

All your personal wounds and triggers get activated — and you barely seem to be aware of the real cause:

It is not your career that needs change, but your relationship with it.
Your pain should often be addressed in therapy — so that you show up in your career without needs and sorrows that come from your private life.

🔔 Tip 3 & 4 — Coaching gold tricks

Your “why” must be stated in positive, action-oriented ways.

Instead of: “I’m leaving this toxic organization”

Try: “I’m going to find and join a healthier organization where I can put my skills to good use and be respected.”

Your “why” must not have any “should” in it.

Whenever a coach hears “should”, they know there’s an inner conflict and the client will not commit to action.

Instead of: “I should lose weight”

Try: “I really want to be healthy and this is valuable to me.”

Bottom line

Remember your anchor and you will go through the hard times with incredible ease compared to others.

Forget it and you’ll end up where you’ve been — even if you have a new job — because your mindset did not actually change.

Managing the Emotional Roller-Coaster During a Career Transition

Managing the Emotional Roller-Coaster During a Career Transition