“I’m Scared of Making the Wrong Decision”
Photo credit: Alexandra Gorn on Unsplash
One thing that I hear from just about everyone considering a career change is, “I’m scared of making the wrong decision.”
I think that one reason people feel this way is because of black-or-white thinking. Our culture likes to label people, so the message we receive is that you can only be one thing at a time. And once you become that thing, there’s no going back. Because so much of our identities are tied up in our work, it can seem like making a career change is literally changing who you are.
As a result, we put a ton of pressure on ourselves to choose the “right” thing to do with our lives. It’s no wonder that so many people feel stuck and unhappy.
If you’re worried about making the wrong career decision, remember this: You can be more than one thing.
What if instead of asking, “What is the one best career path for me?” the question was, “What have I always wanted to learn?”
Career changes can be cumulative. Who says only celebrities get to be multi-hyphenates? Off the top of my head, I’ve recently talked to a wardrobe stylist-hypnotherapist, a nonprofit executive-doula, and a financial analyst-comedy writer. There are infinite possibilities when you follow your curiosity.
Or, maybe you decide to make a complete career change. You’ll still be you. You’ll bring your own unique set of experiences, skills and relationships to your new career, and drawing on that background will give you an advantage that no one else has. For example, after I was certified as a professional coach, I was pleasantly surprised to see how helpful my background in communications is when it comes to creating content and growing my business.
So, the next time you feel fear creeping in, remind yourself that trying something new can only add to your portfolio of experiences and skills. You can always go back to what you were doing before.
When you approach your career with curiosity instead of fear, you cannot possibly make the wrong decision.