When Changing Career ‘You can always fall back on what you know
Every time when changing career people said, “Oh you are being very brave.” Often meaning why are you risking what you have worked for so far. Dissatisfied with my whatever length of answer I gave their reply would often end with “If it doesn’t work out you can always fall back on what you know.”
And if only they knew that there is where the answer lies. ‘In what you know.’
For most of us we are starting in the field of possible failure because yes we don’t know have what a seasoned expert in that field does. But that’s the thing we haven’t left our brains behind. We will once again learn what we need. Yes, it’s is a steep learning curve but once learnt we are in a unique position because we will have our own unique and wider skills, experiences, and networks to draw on.
I don’t know anything or enough
I don’t know anything or enough at the beginning of each of my careers has often been true, but I did have an operating system of learning, mindset, experiences collaborative skills and a passion mission.
So, like me if you want to embark on a new career.
- Recognise and explore all of your existing valuable skills, life experiences and talents.
- Invest in training and gain knowledge
- Seek and work with experts who have the know how in that field.
- Then just like a novice farmer you are going to use trial and error and make adjustments,
- Collaborating with others accelerates your success. There isn’t a career that I have undertaken where I have done it alone. If I can’t do something, I find someone who can teach me how to do it and in return I give them my time or look through my connections to see who can better help or support them in return. Giving comes first of course. I have sat in others lectures and they in mine, I have shared my resources whether they be in software engineering, creative writing and in coaching. Even writing a book required collaboration. I used my contacts to find critiques, cover artists, proof-readers and editors, websites, testimonials, and readers.
- Learn to love what you have chosen to do or at the minimum be curious and explorative.
- Have a passion mission. Your endeavours are like puzzle pieces bringing you closer to building your chosen picture. The bigger the better.
‘Falling back on what you know’ for me means knowing how to evolve and move forward.
I’m curious what does it mean to you?
Visit my website www.clearthinkingcoach.com
