Career Indecision - Are you stuck at a cross-roads?

Have you ever felt like you're at a crossroads in your career, unsure which path to take? It can be a daunting decision to make, and many people get stuck in a state of analysis paralysis, fearing that if they choose the wrong path, they'll regret it for the rest of their lives.

But here's the thing: being stuck in indecision is often worse than taking a path and learning from it, even if it turns out to be the wrong one.

When you're stuck in a state of indecision, you're not moving forward. You're not gaining any new experiences or skills, and you're not making progress toward your goals. You're just standing still, waiting for some magical sign to tell you which way to go. And that can be a miserable place to be.

Some of the fears that hold us back from making a change include:

• Fear of the unknown: People may feel comfortable in their current job, even if they're not fully satisfied, because they know what to expect. The idea of leaving and starting something new can be intimidating and uncertain.

• Fear of failure: The process of job searching and interviewing can be challenging, and people may worry that they won't be able to find a job or that they'll be rejected during the application process.

• Fear of rejection: Applying for jobs requires putting oneself out there, and people may worry that they'll be rejected by potential employers or that they won't be considered for positions they're interested in.

• Fear of change: Even if someone is unhappy in their current job, the idea of changing their routine, their colleagues, and their work environment can be scary.

• Fear of losing current benefits: People may be hesitant to leave their current job because they don't want to lose their current benefits, such as health insurance, retirement plans, or other perks.

• Fear of financial instability: Starting a new job often means a new salary, and people may worry about whether they'll be able to support themselves and their families on the new income.

On the other hand, when you choose a path and start taking action, even if it's not the perfect path for you, you're still moving forward. You're gaining new experiences and skills, and you're learning what you do and don't like about that path. That knowledge can be invaluable in helping you make better decisions in the future.

Plus, taking even a small action can help you get started towards meeting your goal. When you start taking steps in a certain direction, you start to build momentum in that direction. You start to meet new people, learn new things, and discover new opportunities that you wouldn't have encountered if you were standing still.

Of course, it's natural to be afraid of making the wrong decision. But the truth is, there's no such thing as a perfect decision. Every choice comes with risks and rewards, and there's always the possibility that things won't turn out exactly as you hoped. But that's okay. Failure is just another form of feedback, and it can help you course-correct and make better decisions in the future.

So, if you're feeling stuck in indecision, try not to let the fear of making the wrong choice hold you back. Remember, being stuck is often worse than taking action, even if that action doesn't lead to the perfect outcome. Embrace the uncertainty, take a deep breath, and start moving forward. You never know where your path may lead you!

Case Study:

I recently worked with a client, let’s call them, Sam who had been feeling stuck for quite some time. Sam had been working for the same organisation for several years, and while some days were okay, she knew deep down that she needed to make a change. Sam wasn’t sure whether to leave the organisation and seek out new opportunities or stay and try to gain a promotion.

For two years, Sam had struggled with this decision, feeling like they were stuck in a state of indecision. She was afraid of taking risks, worried about stepping into the unknown and potentially making the wrong decision. What if it was the wrong decision and the new job was a poor choice?

Sam reached out to me to see if career coaching would help. We worked through Sam’s values, strengths, skills, experience, knowledge and priorities to understand how they fit with their current role and any potential future opportunities. Through this process, we were able to identify what Sam really wanted in her career and what was important to her.

Sam became more confident about what she wanted from her career and made the decision to look for a new role. There were certainly risks involved, but once she committed to the plan, it seemed to gain momentum. Sam started applying for new positions, networking with professionals in her field, and exploring new opportunities. She hadn’t realised that she had lost her passion and enthusiasm for her work until she started to look at other opportunities.

Eventually, she landed a job in a different type of organisation, one that challenged her in new ways and offered opportunities for growth and development. Sam said she felt like they had become stale in their old role and lacked confidence about making such a big decision.

Looking back, Sam realised that the fear of the unknown had been holding her back for too long. She had been stuck in indecision for two years, afraid to take risks and make a change. However, once she committed to a plan and started taking action, things began to fall into place.

Now, Sam is much happier and more fulfilled in her new role, and she is really pleased she took the risk to make a change.

Sometimes the fear of making the wrong decision can hold us back from making any decision at all. But by taking some action, even a small step, and can move forward towards our goal.