Maybe it is Time to Pivot!!
You have figured out what you want to do, you have found the PERFECT job or have decided to start your own business... You have aligned yourself with all the right partners and you have long standing connections within this vertical. But… Then you realize it isn't actually what you love to do, it is just what you have always done. This is the job you had in your mind that went along with your degree or your interests. And, while there are aspects of the work you like - the industry, the partners, the familiarity… You don't actually like what you are doing.
So now what? As Ross would say...PIVOT!
This pivot isn’t going to be easy, you may even need to bring in a business or brand coach to help (shameless plug). That's okay! Most of us don't know what we “love” to do or what we want to do for the rest of our lives. It's important to do ongoing re-evaluations.You may find yourself pursuing one avenue, thinking it is going to get you to where you want to be. Only, you wake up fully invested and realize this path isn’t what you thought it would be at all. You don’t have to scrap everything and start over.
Instead, it is time to evaluate. What are the aspects of what you are doing that you enjoy? What are you not enjoying? Are you able to keep doing what you love while offloading what you don’t love to another department or bring in a partner (sometimes bringing in help to clear your plate is a good option).
Let’s say you reevaluate and the answer is a big NO! No, you don't enjoy the daily tasks. No, you don't want to make the calls or do the outreach. You’re tired of “selling” yourself or your widgets. You don't believe in the company's vision. You aren’t aligned with their goals. You don’t want to manage a team. Whatever it may be, you have made a HUGE step forward. You know you don’t want to do “this” anymore. We have all been there. That's okay.
Go back to the drawing board. This is more than a pro and con list of the benefits of working for a company or running your own business. This is evaluating how you got here. What about “this” do you no longer want to do? What would you rather be doing professionally? Are you looking to create something? Do you enjoy leading people or teaching them? Maybe you enjoy building processes. Is there a service you think you could provide that others would benefit from? How can you take your professional skills and use them to pivot them in the direction you want to go? Will you need additional training or education? Is there experience you are lacking? If so, what can you do to get that experience?
Zippia states that the average American worker has 12 jobs throughout a lifetime. 12 jobs! You are not stuck. But, you have to be the one to change the course of your career.
When determining how you are going to make a change, the steps you need to take, what will be needed, etc. it is important to do research. Talk to people in the field you are interested in. Hire a coach. They will be able to help you identify your strengths which will help in constructing this new path, weaknesses you may need to overcome, expertise you will need to grow, as well as steps to take to make this professional adjustment a reality. There are tons of resources available (the internet is a powerful tool), which you can use to identify and search for new jobs that embody more of what you enjoy doing. If you want to talk through changing your career, your job, or how you run your business so you can get more enjoyment from the projected 90,000 hours you will spend at work throughout your lifetime (Zippia), we are here to help!
"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." —Albert Einstein