UNITED STATES—When it comes to life, there are many things that can be considered game-changers. Rather its relationships, family or work. This week the focus of discussion is what ways we can make pivotal decisions when it comes to work.
Life can be a rollercoaster ride when it comes to making crucial decisions about our career paths. Speaking from personal experience, nowadays it’s common for people to have more than one job. I remember at one point I was juggling three jobs at once. Did I want to work three jobs? Not a chance in hell, but in the world of economics that we live in, money is golden.
Currently, I’m in a position where I’m juggling two jobs. Am I fond of both jobs no, which has me at a standstill. I’m at that point in my life where I am seriously frustrated with the career trajectory that I am on. Never in a million years did I think I would be at this point in my life, but who in the world actually falls into their dream job right away? Not many people.
I’m ready to cut a job lose, is it a gamble? Without a doubt, but at the same time, I feel it will alleviate unbelievable pressure that I’m grappling with. Losing a job is a game changer for a ton of reasons. First, a significant amount of income disappears. Next, I have to factor in that people that I have become significantly close with I won’t see or speak to on a daily basis. In the work force, jobs sometimes come and go.
For most people, we get stuck in those careers that are impossible to escape. For some people, we stay at a job we hate out of fear of having to start over. For some we people, we stay at a job we hate because we don’t know anything else. If you are staying at a particular job because you have a family to support, it’s understandable, but at the same time, haven’t you questioned that: what if? What if, I took a leap of faith and went after something I’ve always wanted.
The worst thing you can do in life is second guess yourself. No one wants to have that lingering feeling of what life may have been like if I choose this path versus that one. I will acknowledge that if you’re working more than one job, and you have the feeling that one is creating more stress than the other, stop for a moment. Ask yourself if it’s worth it? Is the money worth the sleepless nights and stress that you encounter on a daily or weekly basis? If you answered NO to either of those questions, it’s time to do a bit of soul searching.
I would never advocate someone quitting a job without having a back-up plan in place. You never quit one job without having a second or even a third in place. If you’re willing to take a gamble of such proportions, having your expenses covered for several months is crucial or having another job lined up to ensure that you can sustain. I’m sharing my story because I want Americans to understand that it’s ok to make a career jump if you see it as a feasible option to place yourself in a better situation. Work can be stressful as hell at times.
If it gets to the point that you find it nearly impossible to get out of bed each morning, you can’t sleep at night, or you’re always obsessing or thinking about work, it might not be a bad idea to consider the options that may be standing right in front of you. Sometimes the choice is apparent, but we’re not willing to see what has been standing in front of us all along.
