Have you ever felt as if you should settle \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u20ac\u0153 for a job, for a relationship, for a lifestyle? I know I have. Most of us feel pressure at one time or another, from ourselves or from well-meaning family and friends, to just find something and stick with it. End of story. No need for others to worry about us.<\/p>\n
When you settle for a job or career that is less than what you want, you give up the opportunity to be your best self at work. What is your best self? It\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s you giving 100% commitment and getting 100% fulfillment.<\/p>\n
Of course, there are all kinds of great excuses to accept a \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00cb\u0153less than best\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2 job (\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cThis will look good on my resume\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d, or \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cI\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2ll just do it for a year\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d), but you will go to work every day with a heavy heart. That\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s not good for your physical or mental health. In fact, it\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s a recipe for stress and burnout.<\/p>\n
Maybe you are settling to stay in a job environment that is no longer supportive, or doing tasks that you have outgrown. It may seem more reasonable to stay than to risk trying something new. But what if you are feeling really frustrated and unhappy? \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Or what if that job is literally making you sick? A change may be just what the doctor ordered.<\/p>\n
There are steps you can take to find a job or career that will make you feel good. You need to identify your values, your strengths and your motivations. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Then you need stand up for what\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s important to you.<\/p>\n
Here\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s how:<\/p>\n
List 3 \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00cb\u0153must haves\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2 for your next job<\/strong><\/p>\n To identify the 3 \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00cb\u0153must haves\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2, ask yourself some questions:<\/p>\n Based on your values, strengths and motivations, make a list of 3 non-negotiable criteria by which you will measure each job opportunity.<\/p>\n It\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s important to make this list based on what you really want, not on the latest statistics of \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00cb\u0153where the jobs are\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2 or how much money you can make. It\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s not about finding the best job, but about finding the job that\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s best for you.<\/strong><\/p>\n Those 3 fundamental things are what you<\/strong> need to be happy in your work at this stage of your life. Does this narrow the field? Definitely. But it forces you to focus on what\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s important to you – without focus, there can be no success.<\/p>\n\n