Fear - it is ubiquitous today.
Common impeding thoughts when looking for a job that better matches their passion are:
- I don't really dare take the step because I can't handle it financially.
- If I want to change jobs, I have to give up too much (my car, my group insurance, death coverage, etc.).
- I am now too old to change - it is too late for me.
- What if I really go for what I want and it turns out to be disappointing?
- I do not have the right diploma.
- What if I end up not liking it at the other employer?
- What if I fail? What if I fail to make my dream come true?
- ...
Such thoughts are normal and they are allowed to be there, but it is unfortunate to note that many people allow themselves to be held back by them and do not take action. And thus fail to realize that dream job or that dream company....
Here are some useful tips and strategies that can help you stay ahead of fear while searching for your passion.
1. Healthy anxiety vs Unhealthy anxiety
Fear in itself need not be bad. It helps us assess risk and respond appropriately. Originally, fear helped us survive in the face of danger. It prompts us to fight, flee or freeze.
Healthy fear thus helps you in your preparation to respond as appropriately as possible to a real danger. Unhealthy fear occurs when your fear prevents you from responding appropriately in certain situations.
Healthy anxiety causes you to prepare thoroughly the night before a job interview, to reread everything and to formulate for yourself what you want to say or get out of the interview. Unhealthy fear causes you to doubt yourself, am I the right person, do I have the right capabilities, which can result in an uncertain start of your interview and missing the important strong first impression.
2. How to prevent your anxiety from becoming unhealthy?
Step 1 - Become aware of your fear by accepting and respecting it
An important first step in dealing with anxiety is to realize that you have anxiety feelings. Taking the next step in your career will always involve certain fear feelings or thoughts. This is normal and they are allowed to be there. The worst thing you can do is hide them away or ignore them because that will keep you afraid and it increases the chances of crippling you. You move on to things that might happen in the future. You deny yourself the opportunity to consider whether those things will actually happen. Dare to acknowledge your fears without passing judgment on them. Write down for yourself exactly what you are afraid of for several days. Tell yourself that that is ok - that it is allowed to be there.
Step 2 - Don't let your fears define your life
Once you know what thoughts are fueling your anxiety, it is time to actively deal with them and make sure they do not paralyze the steps you wish to take professionally.
The following strategies will get you started;
- Think about what you need to reduce your anxiety. What actions can help you do this? What people can help you do this?
- Talk about it with people who have left their comfort zone before - talking about what scares you can be enlightening and lead you to new insights. Describe the situation that makes you anxious and the feeling it gives you. Consider whether you can look at the situation from other perspectives and what feeling that gives you.
- Zoom out - think about your fears by challenging them and testing them against reality. Review the thoughts you've jotted down and challenge them (source "The Work" by Katie Byron);
- Is it true what I think? - what is reality? - what evidence do you have?
- Can you absolutely know if it is true? - sometimes you have to take a gamble, 100% truth does not always exist
- How do you react to this thought? - how does it feel, how do you interact with others, yourself, does this thought provide you with stress or calmness, what do you do or say specifically, ...
- Who would you be without this thought? - What would your life be like if you didn't have this thought? Reverse the thought. Is the reversed thought as true as the original one?
- Get moving - dare to expose yourself step by step by going into action.
- Take initiative - because someone else is not going to do it for you. Be gentle with yourself and give yourself time to get there.
- Don't give up after a setback - draw the necessary lessons from this for the next step.
By applying some of these strategies, you will find that there are more options than you initially thought for yourself and succeed in keeping your anxiety healthy and still reach your goal.
If it is still too difficult for you to do this yourself, then let us guide you. We will guide you step by step, from 'what do I want' to 'how do I achieve it', whether you want to work as an employee, freelancer or entrepreneur.