“There is no point climbing the ladder if you are on the wrong wall”. How do you know if you are on the wrong wall?
“There is no point climbing the ladder if you are on the wrong wall”. How do you know if you are on the wrong wall?
Which wise, corporate guru uttered these words? Harry Bright aka Colin Firth’s character in Mamma Mia 2! Rewatching it for the thousandth time that line jumped out at me as several of my clients are currently assessing their work options and deciding what they want from work and life.
It is very easy to slip into 1 of 2 ways of thinking “I am stuck here” or “I am done with this I need to jump”
As with most things in life, there are many shades of grey in between the black and white which often colours our thinking. Taking time to work through what you really want and why you want it is the journey I often take clients on. Here are a few questions I often set them to help navigate this difficult decision:
1. WHY do you work?
“Because I need money to live” is not the most inspirational reason to go into work everyday.What are your other motivations?
2. WHAT does work mean to you?
What do you get out of it? How important is it in your life? Does it define you? All good questions to ask.
3. How important is MONEY?
Ok so we all need money and it's human to think that the more money we get, the more we are valued. But question - exactly how much (more) do you need?
4. How important are EXPERIENCE, GROWTH AND FULFILMENT to you?
Noone likes to feel stagnant, even if sometimes there is a good reason to stand still - juggling young kids being one of them. At this point in time are you getting the level of growth and fulfilment you seek?
5. How does your work relate to OTHERS and SOCIETY?
It's proven science that most of us feel happier when we are contributing to a greater cause or connecting with others in some way. How does your job help you connect or contribute to others and is that enough for you?
So rather than asking yourself, should I stay or should I leave? Just take some time to take stock and ask yourself why you are working and what you want out of it. Failure to do this can lead to just replicating what you have now elsewhere or becoming stagnant where you are. You have spent many, many years working to become the awesome, highly skilled and experienced professional that you are, so just invest this little bit of time to step back and see the big picture before you plot your next move.
As ever if you know anyone that would benefit from hearing this today, feel free to share it with them!
Take care and stay sane,
Helen x
