The 3 Most Important Things To Know Before You Ever Consider Getting A Career Shift
Everyone on the internet has bought some really dumb ideas about what career shift entails
“Can you give me one year? I mean, let me try it once.”
I remember sitting in the lobby outside of the placement cell at my university. Just after the interview was completed, and before someone came out and announced the selected candidates, I decided not to take the job and asked my father for permission on the phone.
After a couple of seconds of silence, my dad finally said, “Beta, you know how it will impact your life, are you aware of it?” While I had said confidently, “Yes, I am aware of it,” I truly had no idea.
The next most-awaited chapter of my life began, which I had dreamed of while I was in my last year of college, when I heard the story of Ritesh Agarwal, founder of OYO, and started feeling like starting my own startup.
I had this energy for the next three months, and then I realized it wasn’t what I was expecting. I had nothing. No job. No business. Nothing.
As a young person, you think everything is meant to turn out in your favor so you can grow yourself, and you take some overconfident decisions that brutally destroy your life.
Thanks to God, I turned out to know what I loved—my passion for writing—and I started learning about and experiencing this amazing world of creators and copywriters.
Recognizing that a career shift is not just a decision but a life change, many people assume that if you think something and it works out in a few days, it’ll work out for the long haul. But it’s not that easy.
Every successful career shifter will tell you that it’s your choice whether you want to live your life as you wish or as others have planned it out.
I want you to STOP listening to everyone for a moment and recall your plan after your career shift and check these three important things.
1/ Understand Your Finances:
A career shift can impact your finances in a significant way. You may have to take a pay cut, or it may take time to start earning the same amount of money as before. It’s essential to plan your finances accordingly. Make a budget and cut down on unnecessary expenses. You should also have a financial cushion to fall back on during the transition period.
2/ Consider Your Mental Health:
A career shift can be mentally challenging. You may feel uncertain, anxious, or stressed during the transition period. It’s crucial to prioritize your mental health during this time.
Engage in self-care activities, such as meditation, exercise, or spending time with loved ones. Seek help from a therapist if you feel overwhelmed.
3/ Have a Long-Term Plan:
A career shift is a long-term decision. The best time to shift careers is when you have a clear plan for where you want to go and how you will get there.
Create a roadmap that outlines your short-term and long-term goals. Set realistic expectations and milestones for yourself.
A final caveat
In this Age of abundance, shifting careers and starting to work on what you love is quite easy. But keeping this happiness while making money is quite hard because there is a thin line between reality and the stories that we heard.
While these three points cannot guarantee a successful career shift (as there are always other factors involved), practicing them will prepare you for smarter, long-term growth.
By doing so, you’ll be less likely to enter an emotionally toxic Mental state based solely on fleeting emotions and will experience personal growth.
So while I can’t promise a bright and happy future, I can tell you one thing that will come out of implementing some of these points: Your future self will thank you.
