I seem to be meeting an increased number of people in some form of transition; whether it’s changing job or career, contemplating starting their own business, moving house or they have left a long term relationship. I know that there are always people in transition but it appears that there is an increased number of people going through major transition at the present time.

I’ve been contemplating why this is happening. There seems to be a shift in people’s attitudes towards life. I’m wondering if any of the following are influencing people’s behaviour and motivating them to introduce some change into their world:

  • Being fed up with the busyness of life and having insufficient time to relax, for leisure and family time.
  • Worn down by a life of all work and no play.
  • Reaction to the major political changes and conflict going on in the world.
  • The impact of technology and social media usage.
  • The effects of globalisation and greater consumerism and the emphasis placed on material items.
  • Anxiety, fear and uncertainty created by negative news stories and scaremongering.

As a result of some of the above, it seems people are taking a step back and re-evaluating what they want from life and re-prioritising what’s important to them. Many are looking to remove some clutter and complexity from their life, simplify things and reduce stress levels. They are looking to create more life balance and increase the amount of time they spend on leisure activities, with their family and enjoying life’s simple pleasures.

I know from my personal experience of moving from corporate life to forming my own business in 2000 that major transition is a very interesting time. It creates mixed feelings ranging from excitement and optimism to fear and uncertainty.

We all like to feel we’re in control of events and can predict outcomes. When we’re contemplating some change we would like some certainty and guarantees. Unfortunately, life doesn’t come with guarantees, we have to take a leap of faith and step outside of our comfort zones.

As I’ve mentioned transition can be a scary time and our minds can exacerbate our feelings of uncertainty and insecurity about the future and trigger a fear of the unknown. As John Milton said “The mind is its own place and in itself can make a heaven of hell and hell of heaven.” It’s capable of playing scary or happy movies. We have the remote control to this movie playing via our unconscious mind. Whilst it’s vital you are realistic and honest with yourself about what you’re considering, it’s important that you visualise some positive outcomes and things working out.

Some of the main reasons that people stick with what they know, even if it makes them dissatisfied or unfulfilled are a fear of change, the unknown or failure. This can mean they stay in a job that makes them unhappy and where their talents aren’t fully utilised. Whatever the challenges that their present circumstances bring, they figure that it’s better to stick with the devil you know.

When people consider whether to make a change to their life, they can sometimes decide to stick with what they know believing they aren’t capable of meeting the potential obstacles and challenges that change will bring. However, I’ve seen numerous examples where people are able to rise to the challenge and show great resourcefulness when change and transition has been forced upon them by redundancy, loss, illness, relationship changes etc.

Perfectionism and wanting circumstances to be absolutely perfect are another obstacle and reason for procrastination and staying with the known. A major sense of responsibility can also mean that people don’t take the risk for fear they won’t provide adequately for others. Whilst I fully understand this, life is short and it’s important that everyone makes the most of their potential and opportunities and ensures that their personal happiness is a priority.

If clients are considering transition such as career change or starting their own business, I recommend that they comprehensively evaluate their options, undertake some thorough research and planning. It’s also important that they listen to their heart and intuition and stay true to themselves. This holistic approach helps develop confidence and creates a feeling that they’re properly prepared. It helps them to feel that they’ve done as much as they can to get comfortable with the risks they face and taken steps to mitigate the impact.

I recommend that they spend a minimum of thirty minutes a day developing their plan. Small consistent steps lead to extraordinary results. Being this thorough and disciplined really helps confidence and to create some choices. I also advocate asking for help and seeking the opinions of people who’ve made the transition that they’re contemplating. Having an objective, impartial and outside view to test out ideas, act as a sounding board and to express concerns to without fear of judgement is vital.

If people are setting up their own business, I stress the importance of them learning to sell themselves, to get clear on what they’re offering and why it’s unique. Being able to clearly explain what their product/service does for people and the benefits it brings is imperative.

When you are thinking about transition, it’s useful to consider the following:-

  • Clarify why you desire this change, your motivations and confirm to yourself that the change is realistic.
  • Be clear on your starting position and set yourself a deadline to gather information, evaluate options and make a decision on whether to proceed.
  • Identify the obstacles and challenges that you need to overcome.
  • Get clear on resources available to support you – e.g. people, information, knowledge, money etc.
  • Develop a plan with steps and milestones.
  • Visualise a positive outcome.
  • Decide who you will be accountable to, in order to stay on track.

This week, why not take a few moments out to reflect and consider the following questions:

If you knew that things would work out, what change would you introduce into your life? Whose help would you enlist to support you?

This week’s quotation: “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” Jimmy Dean.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk