I.1.2020 - A New Decade & Setting Sail
New Year’s Resolutions fail at a rate of 
80 percent. That is reason enough for me to not waste time making them. That statistic isn’t very encouraging, and many psychologists think that making resolutions result in being discouraged and de-motivated. So, what’s the point? Instead of making a list, choose a word that represents the change or focus that you want to guide you for the next year. This year, I am choosing the word “sail” to represent overcoming my natural fear of change (and sharks). Sail is also a verb and a metaphor for taking focused action.
Reflecting through the lens of my own profession, I must say that I am enthusiastic, happy but I am not content. There is so much more that I need to learn to become the resource of choice for people who are committed to find a job that inspires personal and professional growth. Most of the people with whom I work want to make a significant change, but they hesitate about taking the necessary steps to move away from their own status quo. Many of my clients have invested 5-10+ years in jobs that have no career trajectory and may have become boring.
Gina Belli, author of Career News, states that people spend an average of 13 years and two months of their lives at work. If you often work overtime, you can factor in an additional one year and two months. This means that the average working professional invests over a quarter of their time on the job over the course of 50 years. But another sad fact is that most people will default to quit and stay in uninspiring jobs without realizing their full potential.
Self-doubt fueled by fear of change can conspire to leave you stranded on shore when you need to be sailing to a new destination where your work is valued and where you are inspired, challenged and fulfilled. It’s a matter of taking the necessary risk to achieve the reward.
How do you set sail to a new position, new assignment or new company? The first step is to chart a course. Identify what your dream job looks like and make a list of the skills that you have or need to have to make that job yours. Your dream job does not have to be what you are currently qualified for, but it provides you with a North Star that will guide your voyage.
As we face the new decade, I encourage you to take some time to re-evaluate your professional life by asking these two questions: “Am I happy in my career/job?” and “Am I inspired and challenged?” If you answered ‘no’ to either question, it is time to chart a course, raise your sails and venture beyond sight of your comfort zone.