Bored, Burnt Out and Successful

What do a 40-something dental hygienist, minister and lawyer have in common? Aside from being clients of mine, they are all bored, stressed out, making good money and seen as “successful.” What else do they have in common?

– They can’t see themselves in their same position in 5 years.
– They are recognized and respected in their field
– They have had less career satisfaction as they have gotten older.
– They are all in their 40’s and in their careers for at least 10 years.
– They are ready for change.

One person says she is starting to get “physically” sick and dreading going to work.

What makes someone ready for change? Often, a life-changing event can bring issues to the surface. For example, the attorney attended a colleague’s funeral and it made him reflect upon his own life. They dental hygienist said she was almost ready to go to dental school but got scared about the debt. Experts often say that people can be in a “pre-contemplative” stage until they are ready. As people age and their life circumstances change, they have different needs and interests.

Career panic or dissatisfaction can happen at any age.
If this happens to you:

-Think about some of the things you like about your position? Dislike? For the dental hygienist, she loves connecting with people and building relationships. The lawyer disliked the pressure to have lunch with potential clients and talk about his services.

– Have “ Curiosity Conversations” with others as suggested in the book A Curious Mind by Brian Grazer an Charles Fishman. Talk with different people about the kind of work they do and what brings them happiness.

– Take the Strong Interest Inventory- an online test that matches people with occupations based on personality characteristics.

– Ask yourself: What three things are most important to you for your next position? This could be: more stimulation, more money, more fun, more autonomy or less of a commute.
– Come up with a process plan looking at possibilities
– Find a support system. Change cannot be done alone!

Making a change is a process. It takes support, goals,and desire (you gotta wanta). Its never too late to be the person you want to be.