Want to quit your job?

The lessons I have learnt in the last 20 Months.

At the start of the pandemic my mind was in free fall.

I had to close my business of 21 years.

Things weren’t looking good.

To cut a long story short. I decided to change career.

Was this easy?

Short answer: No.

But staying in the same position wasn’t going to be either.

It has not been simple, but I’m here writing this, my life has changed a lot and I’m enjoying it. I’ve met some amazing people and I’ve coached international business people from all over the globe.

I’m hoping that by writing this, I can give some honest insight to anyone thinking of making a career leap in the coming 12 months.

So, before you dive into a new direction, what should you do to make sure that you don’t drown?

Know Yourself.

Listen to your gut, not the pretty picture in your head which imagines you working remotely and sipping cappuccino, laptop in hand.

I’m not saying it’s unnecessary to have a dream, but know your motivations. I had already been a self employed person for many years, I had employed people and I was used to working independently. It can be lonely.

Luckily, I like working solo.

Explore all options.

This leads me onto my next point, you need to look at the type of work that you will enjoy. There is no point making the leap into being a writer if you don’t like working on your own. Or doing E - commerce if you hate being on a computer all day. Ask people who do the job, get their feedback before you commit.

Leverage the skills you already own.

I was lucky, I had already been building up experience and qualifications in communication coaching before Covid 19 struck. I’d been working part time in the sector, but I hadn’t expected to make the switch quite so fast!

This goes to show that educating yourself is a key consideration. Look at the roles or part time courses that you have done before and think about how they fit into the careers that take your fancy.

Find any knowledge gaps, that might pose as a threat and take some short courses to fill them.

This will save time later.

Don’t fall off a financial cliff.

Plan for the unexpected ( I didn’t plan for a pandemic, unfortunately). This is one aspect you can try to control, unless you are in the same situation that I was. Start to put money aside.

Don’t underestimate having a part time job while you work on your dream, some people seem to have an ego problem with this, all or nothing seems to be the only way. In my opinon this can lead to financial suicide.

Finance can stop you in your tracks, its hard to acheive progress and lack of it can give you many sleepless nights. Safeguarding yourself now, will stop you from much anxiety in the future.

Don’t underestimate the value of using a coach but be careful.

I use a coach, but to be honest this was an accidental occurrence. In the first lockdown. I joined a 21 day challenge on a social platform and inadvertantly found a coach, one that I trust and gives value.

Pre – pandemic, coaching was a growing industry. Now its exploded, the internet is awash with experts. In my opinion, do your homework, look for honesty and credentials.

I’ve seen people pay huge amounts of money for basically a marketing course, run by people who have no real experience.

Create a vision and stick to it.

Now, this derails my earlier comment. Create the picture in your head, dare to dream, create.

Write a daily journal to clear your head and help you manifest the life that you want.

You now know to how to take a calculated risk.

The vison is the fun part and it will help you get through the times that test you. We need a dream to motivate, to stop the tiny voice in our head, that asks if we are doing the right thing.

Enjoy the rollercoaster

Finally, there will be times that question your mentality.

What were you thinking?

But you have to believe that the destination will be worth it, living a life that is true to you.

Sometimes it will feel slow, but with consistency, great things can be achieved. There will be lots of small milestones that when you look back on, helped you grow, not just your business but as a person too.

Have a great journey.

Andrea Sharp, global communication coach and writer.