At workplace, seniors, peers and subordinates would always smile and greet. But one thing that they will never attempt to do is getting a feel if your career provides any direction or meaning. This leads to a very important inference. An acknowledgement that something is either failing or being lost or lacking on the career front per force has to be an individual effort. Likewise, all initiatory actions to deal with them also need to originate from within the person concerned.
Take the case of Sivaraman, a budding computer engineer. He always desired a career that would treasure and promote his amiability. The IT industry was perhaps curbing his personality. So he bid adieu to the world of technology and set up a small eatery. Today, his is one of the most popular joints in town, known for its warmth and congeniality.
Another illustration that is pertinent. Varun had joined a bank and rose up to become a manager. But deep within him was always this feeling that he was cut out to be teacher. In fact, the dream to teach English was always on his priority list. So after putting in over a decade and a half of service, a promotion required a change of location, he quitted and set up a soft skills training institute, primarily in the art of conversation. The project paid and today his institute is a name to reckon with.
There is also this case of Geeta who wasn’t keeping good health for long. She was armed with an MBA but frequent sick leaves prompted her employers to hire somebody else. She set sail on a new voyage and volunteered to work with an NGO providing encouragement and assistance to diabetics and high BP patients.
There are some unexceptionally common attributes amongst all high-fliers and these are:
· There is no link between their profession and issues that they are otherwise passionate about. In their context, their work is more of an impediment rather than a facilitator for satisfaction.
· They may be excelling in their profession alright, but that is not exactly what they actually seek. A feeling of an absence of self-accomplishment perhaps runs strong within their inner self. Resultantly, they are unable to make even their capabilities and concerns.
· Their hitherto fore career graph invariably manifested a lack of any long-term planning arrangement that could goad them to a more satisfying occupational schedule. In such cases, objectives are either lacking or do not extend much into the future.
· It is sometimes when the mid-career stage has been crossed that attempts to identify directions are made. That is the time when realization dawns that something is amiss and exasperation, weariness and dissatisfaction set in. These negative experiences have a tendency to increase because most of the organizations have no inherent mechanisms to offer remedial measures.
There are several Sivaramans, Varuns and Geetas who want to be masters of their lives and occupations alike. Whatever be the prompting factors, mid-lifers like them make blueprints to rejuvenate their lives. They embark upon a journey of a thousand miles, each plagued with peculiarities. But the fact is that the reins are held tight by them and they take bold decisions with regard to making life changes.
Do you desire to give wings to your passions? To be able to do so, the onus of taking a decision is yours alone.
The procedure for re-igniting fervour and enthusiasm is not as difficult as it appears. Simply by practicing the following techniques one would be able to achieve significant results:
· Identification: The maiden step is to figure out what is vital for you and it is then that a road map to reach there ought to be charted. It is essential that the road map incorporates short-term aspirations, attainment of which, pave the way to long-term goals. As in the case of Sivaraman who came to terms with the redundancy of the IT field in his individual context, corporate tenets were applied to his small restaurant. Sivaraman learnt everything possible about managing eating joints and even took assistance of specialists. It was only his painstaking and methodical attitude and dispositions that boosted his chances of success.
· Catalouging: The next step is to make an inventory of your strengths and weaknesses on one side and concerns and interests on the other. It is important to discern how they complement one another as also whether such balancing out is harmonious or not. There could be instances when you are engaged in a work that is easy to perform. But the fact that it is not interesting cannot be ruled out. Varun’s case is one in point. He spent some time in training friends and their kith and kin; most of the times there was hardly any remuneration. Gradually he realized that teaching communication skills were not just a simple pursuit, but a career and that too one for which he was ideally cut out.
· Be bold: If you have ventured out, there is no point in looking back. One should be unwavering and steadfast with regard to moving towards objectives set. Quite a few people comprehend that changing courses are inescapable but are yet apprehensive to swap and change. When Geeta was relieved from her appointment, she never sought self-sympathy and was quick to make use of her new-found freedom. She peeped inside her inner self and identified an urging voice with her ailments. She was bold in her outlook and transformed possible luckless circumstances into a novel and newfangled mission that ushered in career excitement in her life.
The crux of the matter is that nobody will ever take you on to one side, put hands on your shoulders and make genuine enquiries whether you are content with your life in general and career in particular. The clout and authority to do so is yours and yours alone. Importantly, the prerogative to comprehend what is deficient or nonexistent is also yours. And most importantly, finding ways and means to deal with such dearth is also yours. Therefore, there is only one player in this entire game.
The above calls for taking bold decisions – decisions that can bring about change. If you shirk away from taking such a responsibility the change that you desire in your life and career will always remain a pipedream.
