Does this support the life that I am trying to create? I’ve always looked at major decisions and asked myself this very question. Whether in my professional advances or personal lifestyle decisions, my goals is to always be on track to obtain the life I’ve envisioned.
Early on in my career, I found myself often wondering whether I was a good fit in the role I’d chosen to pursue, or if instead I should have made a different choice. I remember envisioning myself as this highly skilled and knowledgeable professional, climbing my way up the ladder, but deep down I wondered if I would ever make that dream a reality.
The goal had always been to build a career of purpose. Do the work intended, pay my dues and in due time my efforts would then be rewarded with the reputation of a company advisor who was not only valuable but also trusting. Most importantly, it would also be backed with the compensation and perks to match. This exact mindset and lets face it, strategy, is what continues to help me make strides towards both the career I want and the life I feel destined to live. But I will also mention, it definitely took a little bit of self convincing to realize that confidence and self belief also played a big part in where I wanted to go.
Through the self doubt and trying not to turn things into an unnecessary crisis, I learned to maintain a focus on my own personal needs and aspirations rather than on other peoples performance that didn’t directly reflect negatively on me. Being consistent in everything I do is important since I’m well aware that promotions aren’t available to everyone and they certainly don’t happen overnight. It takes constantly showing up, not perfection, being up front with yourself about what you want and being confident in your approach when the time comes to ask for it, is essentially what keeps you from your ideal success story.
If you’ve done this much, then you’ve already proven to be fully capable and fully deserving of the position you’re in. You shouldn’t look soley on the outside for validation. It has to be something you’ve come to terms with that no matter how small or large the impact you’ve contributed and are in fact a valuable employee. Paying attention to the way you interact with other employees, customers and clients and taking note of their interaction will likely provide the validation you need.
Another suggestion is to not be be afraid to remind your supervisor of your conversations no matter how sensitive or off timing you believe the topic to be. Keeping a running list of professional plans each of their employees may have, won’t necessarily be a top priority amongst other things their attention may be fixed on. Instead, take your own professional growth in your hands by regularly scheduling meetings to get feedback on your performance and share some ideas on how you can further develop, considering it will not only align for you but also the company. Anytime I’ve requested or suggested new projects it was worth a listen and typically made its way to my desk for execution.
If you’ve recently experienced feelings of doubt about whether your current work position is the right fit for you, consider these signs to help convince you’re definitely in the right place:
Finding Evidence in Your Purpose
You Maintain a Positive Esteem
One commonality I notice in people who enjoy the work they do and who are truly passionate about their jobs, is the joy and enthusiasm they exude when going into a deep explanation about to people outside of their field who know nothing about their day to days. Another is a their eagerness and lack of reluctancy to lead a project or have any envelopment at all. These act along are proud indicators that you’re not only doing something you love but may very well be walking in your purpose. You reap the benefits both financial and emotional in all the in betweens.
You’ve Got Tenure
I find that when people dislike their jobs they often find new ones more often. If you’ve been with your company for some time, doing the same of similar work, you can bet you’re enjoying every bit of it whether you want to admit it or not. Both the job you’re in or company you work for are most likley places you enjoy being if you have not yet found an escape route. If these however bring your resentment and misery each day, you’ll do what you can to find something worth your time and energy.
You’ve Taken Initiative to Professionally Develop
Not only are you interested in your day to day duties, you’ve also spent time and money researching and developing in your profession. Whether that is gaining more knowledge to utilize at your current organization through workshops and continuing education options, or for a lateral move in a different organization, your interest to build on our current skills and knowledge to benefit both you and your employer is a good sign you enjoy what you do but are also passionate about continuing in the space.
Sometimes we find ourselves in our own heads, off course and believing we’ve some how made a wrong turn when in fact we are just where we need to be and all the signs are there we just have to look more closely.