Your career is supposed to bring you joy in life, but sometimes there are signs it's time to change your career. A fulfilling career is something almost everyone strives to achieve. Unfortunately for a lot of people, this is not always the case. I know it wasn’t for me until I started writing professionally.
Have you been doing the same thing day in and day out? Are you wondering if this is the right path for you? I recently had these thoughts and it lead me to make two big decisions, career wise, that are changing my life for the better. So how do you realize you need a change? Here are some signs it's time to change your career.
One of the best signs it's time to change your career is if you dread going to the office every day. Is every off day for vacation almost ruined by the thought of having to come back to your job? Do you spend the night before hoping by some miracle you won’t have to come back? Do you get depressed or anxious at the thought of going to work the next day? Now there is a difference between “I wish I had more time off” to “I physically become sick at the thought of having to go back to that place”. If you are feeling the latter of the two, it might just be time to look for a career change.
Has all motivation left you? This may start out with just lacking motivation for certain parts of your job, then it might move on to being most of your job. Then the lack of motivation may over take your career and start seeping into your everyday life. Your career could start feeling like a black hole that sucks you in, and you feel as if you must claw your way out, but you keep getting sucked back in. Not feeling motivation in your career is a sure-fire way to know that maybe this is not the right path for you.
Are you no longer satisfied with your work? If you are not feeling accomplished and proud of the work you are doing, this can create a very negative attitude. Everyone should be able to feel proud of the work they are doing since we spend so much time on building a career. Lack of satisfaction usually leads to lack of drive because you know even if you do the job right, you won’t get enjoyment from it.
Do you find yourself daydreaming about different career paths? Are you more invested in your hobbies than your career? Maybe you should take a step back and see if you could turn any of those hobbies into a career. When we do what we love, it doesn’t feel like work. I know this was big for me as I love writing and whenever I was home from my full-time job I would write as much as I could. It took a while, but I finally decided that if I love writing so much, why not try to make it a career. What you love really can become a successful career if you put your mind to it. So, stop the daydreaming and make it a reality!
Are you starting to feel regret about the career you have chosen? If so, do not feel bad. Maybe this career wasn’t for you. That doesn’t mean you are stuck and it doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find what will make you happy. If you are regretting what you do for a living, then take a step back and see what will truly make you happy. Being in the career you are in now wasn’t a mistake. It helped bring you to the point you are at . It helped you learn what doesn’t work so you can look for what will work.
I hope you can take these points and apply them to your life to make sure you are on the right path. If you realize that maybe your current career isn’t for you, do not feel discouraged. You will find your true passion if you are dedicated. I know a career change can be a scary thought, but you will never know unless you try! We all deserve to do something that we love and that brings joy and satisfaction to our lives.