3 Signs It's Time to Leave Your Job
There are 3 things to consider if you are wondering whether you have been in your current job too long and are ready for your next one.
First, do you want another job?
If you experience any of these, you WANT another job:
- You can do your job with your eyes closed (and it’s not a time that you want to coast. For example, during a time of transition like a birth or illness of a family member).
- You hear a whisper inside that you want something bigger.
- You feel you need a challenge, and you don’t feel challenged.
- You feel you have made the contribution you wanted to make when you entered the job.
- You are more confident now. You believe in yourself more and have greater ambitions.
- You have been waiting for a time you’d have more flexibility in your situation (maybe kids have gone off to college, your spouse has a different job). You are now free to move or change your hours.
- You notice you are repeatedly interested in something happening in another part of the business or that a friend is involved in.
- You can’t fully express your talents with your current manager and it’s causing you to come home frustrated every day.
- Others have been saying you could do a next level job.
Are you someone who moves toward change or away from it?
Here’s how you would know. Each of us has different wiring.
55% of us are wired to be comfortable with Sameness. You prefer routine and shy away from change.
25% of us are wired to be comfortable with Difference. You embrace newness and change, you are ready to jump to your next opportunity.
Are you wired for Sameness or Difference?*
Do you have the mindset it takes to succeed in your next job?
Do you have a Growth mindset? If so, you believe “I can learn and grow.” You will be willing to seek out or seize new opportunities because you trust you can learn what you need to know to succeed.
Or do you have a Fixed mindset? If so, you believe “I know what I know. If I have to do something different, it feels threatening to me.”
You will be able to hear your mindset reflected in your self-talk. Do you tell yourself, “I am not perfect yet at the skills I need for this next job… If I’m not guaranteed to succeed, I won’t take the chance”? That’s a fixed mindset. Instead you might tell yourself, “I am not guaranteed to succeed, but I’m going to give it my best shot. I’ll do my best to learn what there is to know. I’m going to make it work no matter what it takes.” That’s a growth mindset.
Regardless of where you are or what your mindset is now, there is ONE thing that matters the most and will motivate you to go for that next job regardless of all of your answers above. What is that one thing? The value you want to bring. What new value can you bring to other people in a new job? When you look back on your life, how do you want to have helped other people?
Stay focused on how you can help other people and see if you light up when you think about helping new people in new ways. If so, you might be ready to take steps toward that next job. Time to start buffing up your growth mindset…
*People Pattern Power by Wyatt Woodsmall