A decade of career counseling through Career Counseling Connecticut and The Learning Consultants has provided great insight into human behavior. Most people get fired up about a big goal. Then, they take some action towards the goal, run into a challenge, and stop. Some persist longer than others but that general pattern holds true in many areas. I have also noticed that some people are excellent at tackling certain goals -such as a fitness challenge – but fall short if their goal is changing careers.
While there are many reasons for career goal setters failing even though they are the type of people who succeed in other areas. I think the biggest reason is process clarity or, in simple language, knowing what they need to do to reach a goal.
In Old Saybook, CT, like many other areas of Connecticut, there is a fairly big Cross-fit group. Many of these fitness buffs set and reach demanding physical fitness goals. I have worked with several on career change. In the context of career shifting, we compared the fitness goal process. Those who are lowering their times for an event will train in ways that are nearly guaranteed to ensure improvement. Whether they reach a goal does depend, in part, on the loftiness of their goal and their physical talent, but if the goal is reasonable – let’s say a fit twentysomething cutting her mile time by 30 seconds – then it is just a matter of how much work they put in before they reach the goal.
Career issues do not work have such clarity. Most people do not know the “work” they need to do to shift their careers. Moreover, the outcome is much more in doubt.
It may be that the best work of Career Counseling Connecticut has been providing process clarity for our clients.
If you meant to change careers in 2018 but did not, let us help you do so in 2019. Contact us now.