How do you know if you should leave your job?
I knew it was time to leave my corporate job when a cascade of events had me questioning everything — herniated disc in my lower spine, severe pain that kept me from sleeping more than 4-5 hours per night, a clash of personal values with industry values, and being criticized for caring to much about my team's satisfaction level.
I found myself sitting in my corner office, peeking out at the Empire State Building asking, "Is this really all there is"? Then one day I literally heard a "voice" behind me telling me to walk down the hall to my manager's office and quit.
Granted, my mom will tell you that I've always had an active imagination, but if you think back to times when you felt the urge to make a big change in your life, you probably got an inner nudge to do so.
What is the small, still voice inside of you telling you? Maybe there are several parts of you arguing for one side or the other. Should you stay or go? What are the pros and cons?
Nobody can solve this for you. The answer needs to come from you, so here are some coaching questions that my clients find helpful in these situations:
What would I give up if I left?
What would I gain if I left?
What is my biggest concern? What am I worried about?
If I couldn't make a mistake, what would I do?
If I wasn't worried about what anyone else thought or expected of me, what would I do? If I couldn't "look bad" in others' eyes, what would I do?
If I weren't afraid, what would I do?
Have I done everything possible to make things better?
If I could have a courageous conversation that couldn't fail, who would I speak with and what would be said? What would the outcome be?
Do I know what I want next?
Am I running toward something, or just running away or avoiding something?
Moving on from your job is never easy, whether you're making the decision to go or it's being made for you. Taking the time to do some deep reflection can help you get more clear about the path forward.
If you want some inspiration about changing your career trajectory, you might want to listen to my podcast interview on The Second Chapter, dedicated to women over 35 who have successfully pivoted their careers. Enjoy!
