It’s easy to get caught up in the Great Resignation craze of quitting. Human nature makes us see millions of people doing something, and we follow along.
After almost two years of enduring a pandemic and seeing loved ones get sick and die, it changes our outlook on life. Realizing that life is short, we’re going through a collective existential crisis—thinking of what we should do with the rest of our lives. Finding a new job with purpose, meaning and more money is alluring, especially when you’re stuck in a going-nowhere role with a boss who micromanages your every move.
Before you follow the crowd and make the big leap to going after a new job, take the time to think deeply about why you’re doing this. The overwhelming narrative when it comes to searching for a new job is that there is something wrong with the boss and company. It’s all their fault, and you must move on to get away. Sometimes, this is the case. Other times, it could be you.
It’s convenient to blame everyone else, but there may be other issues involved as well. Consider if you are just running away from a problem. When you secure a new role, you may still be unhappy and feel dissatisfied.
Most of us are too self-critical. We dwell on our shortcomings. Negative thoughts play in your head on an endless loop. While we’re grown adults, we still carry around the burden of past trauma, failures and insecurities.
There is the desperate hope that by quitting, we’ll magically become a different person. With a new job, everything will fall neatly into place. The new environment will make us happy.
Maybe a new job isn’t the answer. Switching jobs may not make a difference. You might end up miserable there, too. It’s similar to when you travel or move. There’s an initial feeling of euphoria being in a new world. As time goes by, you realize that you’re still the same person with the same challenges—just in a different location.
You are not the only one questioning all of the poor decisions made in your career or bemoaning the lack of breaks, being passed over for promotions, going to the wrong college, majoring in a dead-end subject matter and watching peers pass you by.
Before you update your rèsumè and LinkedIn profile, you must confront these negative thoughts and self-doubts. If not, you’ll get a new job, but still have the same defeatist attitude.
It’s time to break out of this cycle of negative, harmful thoughts before you make any moves. It may take some time. Once you confront and overcome toxic thoughts and behaviors, you can then focus clearly on your career trajectory.
Work on your mindset. Most people fall victim to the negative voices in their heads. These voices—played on endless loops—beat you up with negativity, anxiety, fear of failure and the unknown. At times, we all feel insecure and plagued with anxieties and self-doubts.
Reinvent yourself. Relax your mind and visualize what you want to achieve in your job and career. People sprinkle their successes around, but add up their losses. Then, they look at the mountain of failures and don’t notice all of the great accomplishments. Feel free to think big. Focus on your positive traits and have faith in yourself. List all of your successes and replay the times you have prevailed over insurmountable obstacles.
Once you go through a self-assessment and realize how your inner monologue is holding you back, it will free you up to aggressively go after your goals. You may even decide to remain at your job and give yourself the confidence to demand better treatment, higher compensation and respect.
After you get into the right mindset, you can enter the job search with a renewed sense of confidence, enthusiasm and purpose, unshackled from the past.
Source: Forbes
