Have you wanted to get out of your difficult job situation and into something more exciting? Or find your passion, or start a dream business – and thought about career coaching as a way to do it, but been convinced that it’s just too expensive?
I know.
I hear it from people sometimes, and it may be just the thing that holds you back from pulling the trigger on doing what it takes to make your dreams come true.
The truth about this post is that I hesitated about writing it for a while. It felt a little to “salesy” like I’m trying to push you to buy something you’re not quite ready for.
And I am not that kind of person.
But here’s what made me sit down and write it and what’s going to ultimately get me to hit that publish button at the bottom: Some of the biggest barriers to your dreams don’t feel soft and fuzzy. They feel hard and uncomfortable. Like talking about money.
So after reading this post if you think I’m shady and sleazy and you go away and never return, I’ll be sad, but so be it.
My goal is not to get anyone to spend money they don’t have or do anything they shouldn’t. My goal IS to help you look at things that might be tough for you – things that push you out of your comfort zone – so that you grow and change in the direction you want to. My goal for you is that you reach your potential, and through that, you find happiness.
That’s what coaching is all about.
So if you’re ready for a taste, let’s go. . .
What Career Coaching Costs
It’s true that career coaching is an investment. But, think about that thing you want at the end. Is it a dream job? Is it a business where you get to do what you love? Is it just knowing what you love? Whatever it is, what is that worth to you?
What’s it worth to get out of the stressful situation you’re in now? Really think about that. Think about what your current life looks like and the impact that the stress has on you. Think about what it means if that stress never changes, or at least doesn’t change for a long, long time.
What’s it worth to you to have your situation changed in a matter of months or weeks?
Probably more than the amount you’ll actually pay for coaching.
Action is a Powerful Tool
Sometimes we wait around for happiness to fall on our heads. And sometimes, it does. We wake up “on the right side of the bed.” Things just seem to go our way. We feel sunnier and lighter. The thing is, it can turn back on a dime, because it’s not based on anything real that you did.
If you want lasting happiness, you have to define what you want and then take action toward it. It’s a very powerful way to feel in control of your happiness and your life.
Coaching is a way to be creating a plan and taking consistent action toward your goals.
Sometimes we think we have to wait around until we’ve taken care of everyone and everything around us before we can take care of ourselves.
We take care of spouses, kids, current employers, and more. We want to make sure they are all set, that they have everything they need before we think about ourselves.
Of course, we want to take care of those we love and honor our responsibilities. But we also have to make ourselves a priority. Because if you don’t, no one will.
If you’re not a priority in your own life, guess how long you can hold up, taking care of everyone around you before you finally break? Only as long as sheer will will carry you – until illness, or depression, or stress, or some other form of your life screaming “NO!” claims you. Save yourself the pain.
Making that investment in yourself shows those you love that you value yourself and that they should value you and themselves, too. You’re also setting an example about taking the time to make yourself a priority. If you wouldn’t want your kids making themselves the last priority in their own lives, don’t teach them that through doing it to yourself. You deserve better. Really. And so do they.
What Career Coaching Can Buy
Career coaching is an investment, but the real cost is in NOT doing it. If you don’t do it, you miss out on the opportunity to make the next years of your life something truly exciting, rather than stressful, boring, torturous, or constantly wondering what you might be doing that would be more fulfilling with the rest of your years.
That’s not to say you can’t make a transition without coaching – you can. But coaching makes the process so much faster and easier and gets people unstuck from things they’ve struggled with for a long, long time. In short, career coaching can buy you a whole new outlook on your career and really, on your whole life.
My Duty
As I said before, I’m worried about this post. I’m not sure if I’m going to get virtual tomatoes thrown at me. But I see it as my duty to help you through this process and all the barriers that I can identify that come up, and this is a huge one. It’s not pretty I know. This week, we’re not talking about finding happiness or passion or success or anything that feels more comfortable or socially acceptable.
But if you truly want to change your life, if you want to feel better when you wake up in the morning, if you want to bounce out of bed and be excited about what you GET to do for work (as I do, and as many of my clients now do) you have to make a decision to DO something and invest in yourself.
This is a path forward. It’s not the only path, but it’s one that works. If you’re ready, let’s go. . .