2009 has been a turbulent year for many people. As the year comes to a close, some of us may also start wondering if we still have the same enthusiasm to get to work in the new calender year.
Many people start their careers full of energy and passion, but after a number of years in the same career, passion and enthusiasm can wane. Quite often it’s because their job has lost its luster and become something dull and routine. A particular job can only provide enthusiasm and interest as long as there are some challenges involved.
The question each person suffering from a lack of career enthusiasm has to ask is: can I find a way to regain enthusiasm for my current position, or should I look outside my current position for something else?
Unfortunately, a lot of people take a “grass is greener” approach and immediately decide that they’re sick of what they’re doing and that something else looks more promising. While this is sometimes true, it’s also sometimes true that it’s possible to remain in the same career with only a few changes to bring back the passion.
It’s important for a person to determine whether their current career is worth sticking with, or whether it’s best to embark upon something completely different. For starters, there’s no reason why a person must remain in the same career for their entire working lives. There was once an expectation that people would do just that: get qualified, get a job and remain with the company for life. Reality today is far different. Not only do some people face redundancy due to the economic climate, or due to the changing nature of the workplace but there are careers people trained in ten or more years ago, that simply don’t exist anymore due to changes in technology.
But even when a person’s job remains steady, there are sometimes good reasons for a complete career change. There are some characteristics of people who have lost enthusiasm for their careers that may indicate the need for a change. For starters, over the years people change, their interests change, and the things that are important to them also change. Often mid-life career crisis comes about because a person realizes that they are not involved in a field they actually care about, and they’re unlikely to find personal fulfillment if they remain where they are.
Other people get into a career on the advice of parents and career counselors, simply because it’s something they’re “good at”. Talent means very little without passion! While a person may be able to remain doing the same thing for years, even without true enthusiasm, almost inevitably any good feelings for their job will wane. While it’s simple to choose a career based on one’s competencies, sometimes it’s not the right path to take. Mid-life may be a time to reassess career interests, and explore something that actually aligns them with their interests better than their current job.
Some people get caught up in their careers without focusing too much on the future. They may have thought in terms of five to ten year plans, but not really looked far into the distance. Perhaps they have focused on saving enough money to purchase a home, get married and start a family, but once established, they realize they have no real career goals that will motivate them to remain in the same position. Many people suddenly find themselves with nowhere else to go, and no desire to remain where they’re currently at. When they actually take the time to create goals, they realize they want to be somewhere completely different career wise.
When a person does fall into this category, it’s sometimes best to take stock of their situation and work out a set of future goals. Even when a person heads in a completely new career direction, they can often utilize skills they developed in their previous positions. Someone with an excellent business and management background may find themselves in an excellent position to begin their own business, for example, even if it’s in a completely different field from the one they began in.
Even when it’s necessary to learn some new skills to succeed at a new career, that shouldn’t stop anyone from pursuing something different, no matter how old they are. Getting an education is always an excellent idea, no matter what stage at life a person is. Developing new skills can be exciting, and a chance for someone who’s been stuck in the same place for too long to really stretch themselves.
What about those people whose careers have stagnated, but who don’t really want to go off on a new tangent, and would rather regain their old passion and enthusiasm? If they are working in a career which is aligned with their goals, but can’t muster up enthusiasm there could be something else missing in life. Perhaps what’s really necessary is a change of scenery in another way (maybe take some time off for an overseas holiday, for example). Or maybe taking a night course or correspondence course to develop new skills could be another option, even if the course is taken just for fun. Sometimes the way to get out of a rut is to start something new in another area of life, rather than changing careers.
Ultimately, there are several options a person can take when they find themselves in a mid-life career crisis, but these can be broken down into two main options: changing careers and taking a new direction, or regaining passion for their previous career. The most important thing is to take the time to assess their situation realistically and create some future goals. Once a person has greater clarity they can explore their options and decide whether to continue where they are (with or without changes) or whether to pursue something different.
HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone and may we all have a PROFITABLE year ahead!
