Is this on your list of life decisions: change your work… or retire? How would either work? How can you identify the signs and have the courage to act?
You might want to revamp what you are doing in your current company, or are wondering how you could use your skill set with a different title… or something pursuing an entirely different area of career. Or, depending on where you are in life, your thoughts might be on leaving your work entirely. When do you know it’s time to make a change?
IDENTIFY THE SIGNS
Signs that you may be ready for a change come in obvious or unexpected forms. You might notice you’ve taken more interest in talking to others about their work, or how they made a change – or find yourself reading articles about other fields, or retirement. More concrete clues are no longer feeling challenged in your role or being unsatisfied with your compensation or benefits. Other signs are more subtle. You might be increasingly feeling restless, less motivated, run down, a little prickly or more impatient. You may catch yourself daydreaming more, or checking out ads among others. Give weight to them. Ask what those are about.
One definitive signal that it’s time for some kind of change: When you start asking yourself is this all there is!
LEAN IN TO YOUR WHY
These signs are springboards and should guide you to look at your why. Tune into where you are in the process. What is driving that? Which one most closely fits what you’re going through? Do you want to:
- Change to a different position within the same company
- Keep doing what you do, but at a different company
- Change your work to something else entirely
- Retire (If so, you’ll find more helpful prompts in my blog, Crossing The Threshold to Retirement)
THE COURAGE TO ACT
When it comes to life decisions like this, it’s an act of courage to validate and act on what your inner instincts are telling you. But it’s important to think things through so your actions are intentional, and a set up for your highest good as well as that of the company and your staff or coworkers. There IS a way to do this well and lay a path of integrity. Begin with the end in mind. Thinking through details like these will help you cover that ground:
- How do you want to leave where you are?
- What legacy are you creating with each step you take?
- How can you prepare your responsibilities so they can be taken on by the next person?
- What people do you need to inform? When and how?
If you recognize the signs that it’s time to make a change in your work life… whether it ends up as small shifts that bring you more satisfaction, or big decisions that can take your life on a whole new track, I can help you navigate the process within yourself. Wanting to work on the courage to take such affirming life decisions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
In addition, those in the nonprofit sector may be interested in 2 distinctly different classes that I co-lead with my colleague Nancy Jackson through EOS Transitions to guide you through. We gather a small group of equals—a cohort—and together we explore, share and prepare all aspects of this milestone choice and its attendant emotions
Thresholds for retiring Baby Boomer executives is for those executives who want to assure their legacy. And Thresholds for Executives with Continuing Careers for leaders looking to move out of their current roles into new ones, at the same or a new company or field.
Both classes start on March 8. Learn all the details of this invaluable opportunity and register for classes by visiting the EOS Transitions website.