I've recently made a big change in my life. After almost 25 years of stable employment
and being in an executive role for the last 8 years, I've quit my job to become
a full-time coach.
Whether the change you are going through is
professional or personal, making the change can be daunting, and knowing what
to expect might make the process a little easier. These are some of the things I've come across
during this process of change, that may help you in your process.
There will be naysayers
There will be some who will tell you that your
choice or decision is a mistake. If it
feels right to you don't pay attention to them.
Don't allow their fears and doubt to derail you from your plan. If you have the same fears understand why you
are having those fears and come up with a plan to deal with your worst-case
scenario.
There will be fear and doubt
Making a big change will come with your own fears and doubts. There will be times when you second guess your decision, and fear will creep in. Each time you have a setback, you will fine yourself asking if you've made the right decision. When you start thinking about all the things that could go wrong, know that this is your ego trying to protect you from the unknown - that is its primary job - to protect you. If you are a planner, try to identify what could go wrong and how you can proactively deal with it.
It will be uncomfortable
Acknowledge that it will be an uncomfortable
process. Even if you have planned what
needs to happen in minute detail, some things will not go according to
plan. When this happens, don’t see it as
a failure and give up, rather understand what went wrong and what you can learn
from this. Then identify alternative
ways to get to your goal. Especially
when the process of making a change becomes too hard, you may be
tempted to go back to your old habits or roles – back to your comfort zone. When this happens, go back to your “WHY”
Know your WHY
Be clear about why you are making the change. Write it down so it’s easy for you to look at it whenever doubt or fear creeps in. Write down:
Why
are you making the change?
-
Other than yourself, who will benefit from this change?
What will your life be like when you accomplish this?
What will your life be like if you don't make the change?
Your Confidence
Your confidence will waiver, especially when you
have a setback or when something doesn’t go according to plan. I have moments when I wonder if I've done the
right thing. I force myself to stop,
take a step back and re-evaluate the situation.
Why
didn’t this work?
What
can I do differently to get the result I need?
When my confidence waivers, going back to my why also
reminds me of the reasons I decided to make the change.
Make sure you have support
Remember that you don’t have to go through this
change alone. Look into your network of
family, friends and colleagues who can support you. Have a sounding board - someone who can help
you stay on track, keep you motivated and to talk you back to reality when the
fear creeps in (a coach is great for this 😊).
Acknowledge your achievements
Acknowledge your achievements, no matter how
small. Remember that a small step
towards achieving your goal is better than taking no steps at all towards it. We generally focus on the things that go
wrong rather than the things that go right.
At the end of each day, or each week, make a list of the things that
you’ve accomplished, and allow yourself to celebrate them.
Mindset
One of my biggest challenges has been changing my
mindset. I find that I have to continuously
work at having the correct mindset. It
is easy to fall back into old thought patterns, especially if you have had
those patterns for a very long time.
Accountability
You have to keep yourself accountable. Unless you have a coach or an accountability
partner no one else will check in on you to make sure that you have done the
things that you’ve said that you are going to do. It is much easier if you have someone who can
keep you accountable.
Trust Yourself
You will know that it's the right decision. Have trust in yourself that you know what you
are doing, and that you are on the right path.
If you are looking to make a big change and want to
know more about how I can help you through the process, get in touch for a free
introductory session.