Change is Good: Conquering Resistance to Career Change"For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven..." Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Often we resist
very things we need most. Clients frequently wait to call me for career counseling until they have gotten put on probation, or even worse, have lost their job. This "kick in pants" is what they need to take a look at their work and their life. Sadly, some admit that they have not been happy at their job, often not just for months, but years. But they have chosen to ignore their problems for as long as possible.
You might say that not all change is positive. Like death of a loved one, for instance. But even divorce and break up of a family can be catalyst for new beginnings and opportunity for growth. And changes in our career or job, even job loss, can move us toward greater fulfillment in our work. Even when we are in jobs that we enjoy, many of us look for experiences for greater growth and fulfillment. I enjoy writing as a way of expression and to reach a greater audience. So now I make more time for this activity. Environmental forces, competition and changes in way business is conducted, often force us to make adjustments.
Resistance to Change: Paying Price
Resistance is force that keeps us from taking positive action, choosing comfort and safety over challenge and growth. Resistance to change, along with procrastination, often keeps people from finding satisfying work. I find that people who resist change in their careers are often same ones who resist activities that stretch them beyond their "comfort zone " in other areas as well. Those individuals who embrace change are ones who find fulfillment in their careers and in life.
“Man never reaches his highest potential when he is safe and takes things easy.” An old sage
Today change is norm. Gains in technology impact how we work. E-mail allows messages to be sent instantly. And with instant messages come pressure for instant action. Changes in managed care impact everyone, not just those who work in health care. Those who are comfortable with change and make quick decisions, after gathering and considering facts, are ones who succeed in finding fulfilling work.
If there are problems in an industry or a company that are public knowledge, those employees who look for other jobs will have advantage over those who wait. If you hesitate in wake of an imminent mass lay-off, market will soon be flooded with people with your skills and experiences, making it even harder to get position you want.
Sometimes clients come to me who have been with same company for 10-25 years. These people are always looking for reasons to maintain status quo. "It's not always bad," they say. Sometimes they have good days. But if someone picks up phone and calls a career consultant, it means that there has been unhappiness for some time, whether conscious or not.
Sometimes status and money that come with job make it difficult to let go. Other times it is not knowing what else they would do if they left this position that has been such a large part of their life for so long. And sometimes they cannot imagine a better life. Then they rationalize that "grass isn't always greener." The grass might not be greener right away. We might need to first plant seeds and cultivate them. But in this age of instant everything, virtues of patience and persistence are undervalued.
