There are times in our careers when our world is rocked, or we hit a turning point. We can continue a path that’s no longer working for us or we can choose a different direction.
Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?
Rebecca was shocked when she was laid off from her “secure” software engineering job at a big tech company. Then, during her job search, she had a second wakeup call when she realized that she no longer wanted to work as a software engineer. She’s wondering whether there might be another career for her that’s more aligned with her passions and interests.
Nathan is a corporate executive who’s been climbing the “career ladder” for almost 15 years. When he started working remotely during the pandemic, he realized that he’d been missing a lot of important moments with his kids. Now that he’s back to working five days a week in the office, Nathan is questioning whether the big salary and perks are worth the long commute and frequent business trips that cut into his personal life. He’s considering exploring opportunities that offer flexible remote work schedules, even if it involves taking a substantial pay cut.
Marissa, a Nurse Practitioner at a large hospital, returned from maternity leave to discover that a department reorganization had created a toxic work environment. She’s debating whether she should transfer to a different department, seek a new position, or start that business she’s been dreaming about.
Author Bruce Feiler calls these disruptions “workquakes” and has found, based on his research, that the average worker goes through a reassessment or reinvention every two and a half years. In his latest book, The Search – Finding Meaningful Work in a Post-Career World,he discusses the stories of hundreds of people who’ve rejected the notion of linear careers and are designing new more fulfilling work scenarios for themselves.
Are You Experiencing a Workquake?
When you’re living through a workquake, you might find yourself asking the following questions:
Is this all there is? If I’m so successful “on paper” why does my life and work feel so empty?
What’s next? I’m done with this chapter of my life, what’s next for me?
Whose life am I living? Am I living my definition of a successful life, or a notion of success inherited from my parents or absorbed from the culture?
Your First Step – The Mindshift
When you start questioning your work and life, you’ve taken the first step toward your reinvention – shifting your thinking. This begins with a shift in your self-image.
Instead of viewing yourself as a victim or a struggler, you begin to see yourself as an overcomer and the “entrepreneur of your own life.”
In this era of rapid technological innovation, it’s crucial to shift how you approach change and learn to see the opportunities instead of the danger in change. This involves becoming curious about the latest technologies and emerging business and marketplace trends.
It’s also critical to assess what truly matters to you at this point in your life, which may involve revisiting your definition of “success.” You may discover that you’ve been clinging to an obsolete vision of success from your early 20’s that no longer reflects who you are and what you value.
Finally, to move forward in your life, it’s necessary to shift how you view challenges, obstacles, and failure.
As you start exploring new options, your thinking will continue to evolve as you acquire new information, expand your network and test drive new roles. You may find yourself challenging some assumptions you’ve held for years or even decades! You’ll continue to refine your definition of success until you arrive at your version of meaningful success.
Workquakes Are Invitations
These workquakes can be unsettling or even scary. However, when you view them as invitations to reassess your priorities, reimagine and redesign your life and career, you’ve taken that first important step toward aligning your life with what truly matters to you.
Will you accept life’s invitation, or will you ignore it?
Your decision can be the difference between a life of regret and a life of meaningful success.
