Thinking about taking the leap into a new career? Could a career coach be critical to your success?
As I ran towards the edge of the cliff, I kept thinking to myself,
“Run harder! Push harder! Give it everything! Your survival is at stake!”
Hesitation was the thing most likely to cause death. And that meant I had to trust.
I had to trust that what my instructors had told me was accurate. I had to trust that this large, parachute like wing was going to hold me up with it’s thin webbings and lines no thicker than shoe strings.
5 feet… 4 feet… 3 feet… 2 feet… 1 foot…
…And then the feeling of being lifted into the air. The beautiful beaches of San Diego below as waves crash on the shoreline. What a feeling!
Running off a cliff intentionally is a really bizarre thing to do. Safety, security, and a beautiful view can all be had without strapping a paragliding wing to your body.
So why do it?
Well, most people never will.
They will have excuses like:
- It’s too dangerous
- The view is just as good from the top of the cliff
- I would do it if I was younger
- It’s expensive
- I’m scared
And so, most people don’t experience what it is like to soar over cliffs, beaches, mountains and enjoy a view reserved only for birds. Yet, once you do, you realize no airplane, amusement park ride or view from a cliff even comes close.
Careers moves can feel a lot like jumping off a cliff with a paraglider.
You believe, deep down inside, that there is something better for you. That there is a position waiting for you that will allow you to express yourself, be creative, and wake up each Monday morning excited. You may even hire a career coach who can assure you that you can have a great career and help guide you to it.
But the land of what you know today is compelling. It is safe, there is no risk, and maybe the view is just as good. At least, this is what your friends will keep telling you…
When you are paragliding, the worst that can happen is pretty bad: injury, broken bones, perhaps even death.
When you are contemplating a big career move the worst that can happen can be just as scary, even though objectively it is far less dangerous…
Most career change fears amount to concerns over losing social status (and to a certain extent, identity).
Yet when you examine these fears closely, they can be overcome.
Think about it very carefully. What are you most afraid of in changing careers? Is it falling behind your peers in terms of income (e.g. what if you can no longer afford to go to expensive restaurants with them)? Is it the fact that everyone knows you as the guy who drives an Audi so you are scared to downgrade to a Toyota? Is it not being able to pay for your kids’ education?
Whatever your fear is, the question you need to really think about is will this fear prevent you from soaring in the direction of your dreams, or will you be content to stare at the sky from the safety of land?
To quote J.A. Shedd, “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”
How do you overcome your fears and do something courageous in your career? Perhaps a career coach can help.
For details on how to select a career coach, whether in San Diego or anywhere in the world, watch my free webinar: Stop! Before you hire a career coach…