Not Feeling Fulfilled at Work? Do This.

You got great grades. You went to college. A great college. You took all the right classes. You chose law, or tech, or consulting, or finance, or marketing. You got an internship. You got a great job offer. You're making more money than you've ever made. But you're starting to wonder if you made the right choice. Something is missing. 

And yet, you don't want to give up your career path, this great salary and these benefits. Where do you even start? 

Ultimately, you should quit. You should do something else, because life is too short to wonder and to feel like you're missing something and to show up every day not feeling like you make an impact. But before you quit, here are some important things to do first. 

First, focus on a mission. What lights you up? What gets you excited, or mad, or frustrated? What problem can you see right in front of you that you think you could make an impact on?  For example, I get really incensed when I see companies operating in work spaces filled with fluorescent lights and open-plan cubicles, it just makes me mad (because I find that a terrible environment to work in). Is there something that I can be doing to make that better for workers, or encourage companies to think about work space differently? Or, I really am bothered by the lack of outside time that little kids in schools get, I'm a big believer in fresh air and nature and outdoor time for everyone. Is there something I can do that uses my skills to address that problem? 

Next, take action. What is the smallest thing you can do in your spare time to begin to make a dent in that thing you care about? Can you go to a meetup on the topic, or help one specific person out with that problem, or call someone to ask for a meeting to learn more about that problem? Or maybe you can volunteer with an organization that is working on that problem. With my example about terrible office environments, I could read about companies or designers that are redefining effective office environments, and reach out to connect with someone working on those projects on LinkedIn. I could ask one of those people to coffee. I could draw out my ideal work space/arrangement, and share that on LinkedIn or social media with a call to action for companies to create better work spaces. I could look at what it takes to become an office designer. Or I could join a website of people who work remotely. 

Next, take more action still. Too often the thing that keeps us stuck in our jobs and not making changes is that we spend so much time thinking about what we could or should do, weighing the pros and cons, wanting to learn more so that we make the RIGHT decision, that we end up doing nothing. But there is no way to know what the right thing to do is or right decision to make is sitting from that place of unhappiness, you must act your way forward to discover what is going to be the right thing. So do more activities that can engage you with topics, people, and interests you're excited or angry or frustrated or passionate about. The more you spend your free time doing those things, the more opportunities will open up to you, and then you'll be ready to jump on one of those, and away from this unfulfilling work you're doing now. 

And remember I can help. This is what I do all day every day - help people move from what isn't working to a career or job or lifestyle that is. Book in a call and we'll get you sorted.