4 tips for your career shift

Helane Androne

English Professor | Writing Life Coach | Actor & VO Artist

February 7, 2024

Open Immersive Reader

Some of us are in a season of transition, and maybe, like me, you’ve decided to make what I’ll call a career shift. It’s not that you are ready to leave your job right now (necessarily); however, some of us are definitely ready to re-position ourselves to use our talents differently. We want to feel less financially trapped. We want to make a greater impact. We just want something that feels more meaningful.

How do you know if that’s you? Well, if you feel a burning in your gut saying, “Why isn't this job doing it for me anymore?” then I'm talking to you. I'm also talking to you if have been reminded–again–that, in spite of your best efforts, your current organization still won’t recognize your value. Oh, and if you have recently said to yourself, "I am more than this," then, yeah, I'm talking to you. Like me, maybe your desire to shift doesn’t really feel disappointing. Honestly, it feels more like a nervous excitement. It might have you fired-up, reinvigorated, and ready to make moves. Or, it might just have you...curious.

This is a good thing. I believe it is the BEST thing. But it still may feel a little overwhelming, so I want to give you 4 tips to help you prepare for the shift into something more.

By the way, you can make your shift right now, while you’re working and life is life’ing. I’m doing it. And that means that you can do it too. We can do it–with a whole job, and even with families, service commitments, pets (that snore), and all the other parts of our crazy lives. I’m proof that it’s possible.

I know what it feels like to have so many things you want to do–and to know that your talents are ripe and ready for better use. And, as a Professor, an author, a mother, a wife, an actor, and an entrepreneur who is over 50, I don’t have time to waste. I need a PLAN. I need efficient ways to use my talents AND optimize my time. So I’m sharing what I’ve learned to help you take your first steps toward what I have discovered is a joyful, more fulfilling life.

Ready? Let’s get you together.

Here are four tips if you are teetering into, or ready to consider, a career shift.

Tip #1: Get quiet to get clarity.

What I recommend is a mindset shift toward your talents, not away from what matters in your life. But many of us are unsure or insecure about what that means–or how to figure it out. You need clarity. It’s available to you, but you have to make space for it. Open yourself to accepting how you’re made and what you’re called to do. It can be difficult to figure this out with all the noise of life around us. And it’s especially challenging if you suspect that the answer may be…unconventional.

So quiet the noise. Start with prayer and/or meditation. Transformation impacts your whole self—body, mind, and spirit. That spirit could use some quiet focus. Take some time to sit quietly, with an open heart and mind. Ask for clarity. Ask for vision. Ask for the courage to become more.

Then, meditate on the “what if.” If money wasn’t an issue, what would you do? How would you serve or care for others? What if you could do what brings you joy? What would it look like to live meaningfully?

We spend so much time thinking about barriers, talking ourselves out of our joy. Instead of wondering what’s possible, we wonder whether it’s too late. (If you’re breathing while reading this, that’s a sign that it’s not too late, by the way.) Often enough it’s internal forces, not external barriers that really hold us hostage. In this kairos moment in your life, when you have overcome so much already, get clarity and decide that you are ready for more.

WriteNow: What is the best time of day for you to get quiet? Set an alarm and make it happen. It’s okay to start small, but be consistent. Journal about your "what ifs"...

Tip #2: Own your story.

The life you have experienced has had ups and downs. The “ups” are worthy of celebration because the downs taught you their value. In this season, you’ll have to embrace your story; it’s what makes you unique, interesting, and ready for what’s next. What you’ve learned has context and has built your character. We all want to learn from other, transparent real people–the ones who have challenges and triumphs they are willing to share honestly. Someone needs your story. So own it for their sake: take stock of what you’ve learned from those ups and downs.

Next, identify your core beliefs–the guiding principles you lean on. Sometimes your beliefs are captured in a quote or saying that you love. Affirm those beliefs and principles to yourself. They are the result of the journey thus far, and others can learn from what you know. This is what your integrity is built upon and you need that to stabilize your shift.

Owning our challenges, victories, and beliefs are a crucial part of a successful shift. If you think about it, they’re probably the reason you need to make the shift in the first place. Your story comes together to create your WHY, and your WHY will help you craft the brand integrity you’ll need for your shift.

WriteNow: What have you realized as a result of a significant challenge and/or victory in your life? What quote or saying captures your guiding principles?

Tip #3: Let your impact direct your priorities

So maybe you have some clues about your purpose and vision. And hopefully you’re ready to embrace the parts of your story that have built your character. But you’re still on the fence about the next move. You’re still feeling unsure about what direction you should move into first. One of the biggest struggles we have when we want to make a career shift is deciding which shift to make.

Having options can feel pretty paralyzing–especially if the most obvious options don’t appeal to you. To this I say: Pay attention to your patterns; they will help you determine your priorities. You can find direction by prioritizing the activities you do that you’re passionate about–the activities that serve or impact others.

Careful! I'm not talking about the things you just “like” to do sometimes to blow off steam. I like couch-surfing while watching Netflix with wine and popcorn. But I’m not really passionate about that, and it doesn’t serve or impact others (not directly anyway). I’m talking about the things you are motivated to do or to create, and share. These are the things that don’t feel like work to you because you’re so easily engaged, and they come so naturally. They are actions that inspire results that also bring you joy.

So, don’t be judgmental about your direction; don’t filter things out because they don’t match what you do right now, or because they don’t sound like a “job” you should aspire to right now. Just be honest about what moves you, what comes naturally.

Yes, there may be several things that fit this description. How do you prioritize? Use the level of impact you want to have to direct your priorities.

Everything isn’t right for every season, and every passion isn’t shift-worthy right now. Those things that you spend the most time doing for others, the activities that are most complimented by others, and the moments that you want most to create for others can tell you a lot about the ideal immediate direction of your shift. What activities are you most good at, that most involve or impact others, that you already do pretty often (probably for free), and that also bring you the most deep-seated joy (which is why you often do it for free).

Start right there.

WriteNow: Which of your passion activities are most complimented and provide the most impact?

Tip #4: Name it and claim it.

Whatever shift you decide to make, you need to put a title on it. Call it what it is! Create a title that includes the passion project and the result or outcome you’re looking for. You need to acknowledge that you’re working on a “Build my [passion] Vision to Launch my [passion] brand” project. Name it so you can claim it. Language is powerful. Call it what it is and train your brain–and your behaviors–to know the significance of what you’re doing. It’s an affirmation and a goal. Every time you think about it, every time you talk about it, every time you plan the moves you’re going to make, say the name of your project.

WriteNow: What is the name of your career shift project?

If you make these moves, you will feel your shift begin to take shape. If you plan to give this process a try, drop “READY” in the comments. I’ll reach out with a free resource to help you along. And if you want to learn how to use writing principles to monetize your talents, reach out at [email protected] and ask to get on my mailing list.

–Dr. Helane