Career Transitions · Coaching Insights

A guy goes to New York to attend a concert, but gets lost. He spots a street musician and asks “Sir, can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?” The musician smiles and says: “Practice, practice, practice.”

This applies to the fear of change too. Sometimes literally. Most of the time, not so much.

You can’t just risk it all. You can’t just change it all.

It’s one thing to try being less workaholic — in small amounts you could try exposing yourself to less work, lower perfectionist standards, lower need to shine at all costs or to please.

But it’s a whole different thing to put your life and future at risk — your image, your career, your financial security. Losing safety and security scares the hell out of me too.

The turning point

The difference I experienced as a client in both therapy and coaching is that — for the fear of change — professional coaching helped me more. And it came as a total surprise.

I learned that bringing a very difficult subject over and over again in sessions — in different contexts — and just discussing it with one or more coaches, makes a difference.

I knew I wanted to change. I knew why I wanted to change. But I had no idea how to do it. How to bear the pain and the fear and keep breathing.

Just dabbling around and dancing with a goal — scared, confused, with no clear plan, but not giving up — actually works.

I thought one needs a clear plan. A goal without a clear plan is just garbage, just a pipe dream!
NOPE. Our brains can do just fine with just a goal. And practice.

Two notes worth keeping

Note 2. I wrote this 3 years ago. Still valid.

This is my small contribution to helping you navigate the emotions associated with leaving a long-term job to start something new.