There is nothing quite as disheartening as the feeling like you’re just ticking boxes at work for a pay check while hanging out for the weekend. Figuring out your passionate, meaningful and fulfilling career pathway is a privilege and a real key to building not only your financial health but wellbeing. For some people it takes an adversarial workplace experience to motivate you to pursue a meaningful career, other times you reach a point in your life where you just want to fan the flames of that little spark within that you’ve been ignoring for so long because you’ve been comfortable in the familiar.
Most people who come to coaching are highly driven and sometimes struggle to find the off button or wrestle with self-doubts and fear which can get in the way of aligning your values and strengths at work. Many have climbed all kinds of ladders and jungle gyms and had lots of interesting experiences they’ve leaned into but are ready to get real and make longer term, conscious changes for the next era in life. Think those who are new to family life or returning to work after extended time off or finishing a study pathway with new skills on board. My clients enjoy the challenge, perspective, structure and reflection the coaching partnership provides and who doesn’t want their own personal career coach motivating and empowering their success?
My former job was working in the creative industry and selling services for advertising and digital marketing campaigns. I found it extremely challenging but unfulfilling. While the creative side of things was exciting but the actual work involved in sales and administration bored me to no end and left me feeling like I was underachieving and just a sale women. Prior to that business I was teaching meditation and seeing a few life coaching clients and one day I decided it was time to skill up with some further study and return to what I love but grow it into something bigger, more meaningful and sustainable.
A big part of discovering your authentic career pathway is listening to what you love and trusting that you can make a success of it even when you have to take some set backs or make mistakes along the way. An authentic career is one that you can grow with and make changes in while adapting to the shifting circumstances in our communities and being able to stay relevant and contribute like you’re valued. The easy pathway is never the rewarding one so if you’re considering career change look a little deeper into what inspires you and ask yourself if you could do anything without limits what would that be?
Often we tell ourself things like “if I had more money”, “If I was more confident and outgoing”, “I won’t be able to support myself”, “I can’t let people down because they are relying on me”. But what if we listen to the voice of confidence and can do, what does it tell us? The more we practice aligning ourself to our authentic self and I use a process called “Authentic Self” to help my clients begin to take steps from this space while recognising the “Inner Gremlin” as I like to call it and not letting it in the drivers seat while navigating your career pathway.
A big part of career coaching is recognising all opportunities but also knowing the different selves we inhabit and how we can navigate while being intentional and our authentic self and this includes not stumbling on the inner gremlins that likes to pop up from time to time. With all the noise and different directions we can go in everyday, depending on our mood, reaction and competing commitments it takes a few mindful practices, self discipline, commitment and powerful coaching tools to simplify and get really clear on how to organise your life and work around the vision we create. This becomes your new default and you learn to filter the rest and optimise so you can stay resourced, open to learning and aligned to your authentic career pathway. Nothing is better than bouncing out of bed on a Monday and feeling energised from your week when you knock off on Friday!
Register your interest in career coaching via the website and take up my offer of a free introductory career coaching call available internationally.
