Ask These 7 Questions to Inspire Yourself and Get Out of a Career Rut

Life is frustrating when you’re stuck in a career rut. I’ve been there and it wasn’t pretty. I felt stuck for years at a job I liked but didn’t love. Although my coworkers and clients were awesome, the daily grind of my weekly work routine gradually sucked the joy out of me. With a lot of hard work, I revamped my entire life. I rediscovered my passions, started a business, left my job, and am making my dreams my reality.

Here are some of the questions I asked myself to help me get out of my rut and feel alive again. Hopefully these questions will help you as much as they have helped me.

1. Is this really what I want?

Millions of people are dissatisfied with their jobs. If you find yourself gleefully announcing “Thank God it’s Friday!” every week, start paying attention to yourself. Life’s too short to spend your life in quiet desperation, craving to bust out of the confines of your job and make a different dent on the world.

If you don’t love your work, have the courage to actually admit it to yourself and set out to change your situation. In this famous TED Talk, Mel Robbins describes how lying to yourself and telling yourself you’re fine when you’re really not happy sabotages your life. In her compelling speech, Robbins has some great tips to help you stop screwing yourself over and actually get out of your rut.

2. Who am I?

Becoming a self-expert is a crucial part of discovering the work you love to do. Study yourself and devote time to learning about your personality and what lights you up. When you understand your unique strengths and passions, you can set out to discover work that allows you to capitalize on the best parts of you.

If you’ve been stuck in the daily grind for awhile, just going through the motions of each day, you might feel like you don’t know who you are or what you love anymore. The good news is there are many great books and personality tests you can use for self-discovery. One of my favorite resources is Sally Hogshead’s site How to Fascinate. Hogshead’s assessments can help you discover your personality’s top advantages in the working world and in your personal life. Her site is unique in that it helps you understand how the world sees you. This information was life-changing for me when I was stuck in my career rut.

3. If I had the time, money, connections, [fill in the blank…], what would I do?

What are your biggest dreams? Dreaming big is an incredibly important step in finding and doing work you love. Picture your life without constraints. Then get your big idea out of your head and onto paper. Write down your giant career aspirations in as much detail as possible to give yourself a clear picture of what your goals are.

When you find yourself immediately thinking, “That’s not possible; I don’t know how”, “I’m not smart enough” or placing any other limitations you put on yourself, reframe your thoughts. Changing your mindset to “I’ll do everything I can to learn how to do this” and “I’ll surround myself with people who can help me make this possible” can make an immense difference in your life and help you get unstuck.

4. What can I do today to move me toward my goals?

Start taking actions every day to move you closer to your long-term career goals. Immerse yourself in podcasts and books by people who inspire you. Taking small steps every day, even if it’s just 10 minutes per day, can help you move towards a career you’ll love. If you’re intimidated by your big goals, commit to taking a baby step forward every day. Eventually you’ll look back and be amazed at the progress you’ve made.

5. Who do I need to help me?

Even professional athletes and many of the world’s most successful business owners have coaches. Identify the areas in your career where you could benefit from guidance. Maybe you could use leadership training or business strategy planning? Seeking out assistance and building a supportive team of people you can collaborate with can empower you to make your vision for your career a reality.

6. Are there luxuries in my life I’m willing to give up to have more freedom?

Many people feel trapped in their jobs due to financial stress. Yet sometimes this financial stress could easily be relieved by temporarily changing your spending habits. This Ellen Goodman quote sums up why many people are dissatisfied with their lives: “Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work, driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for, in order to get to a job that you need so you can pay for the clothes, car and the house that you leave empty all day in order to afford to live in it.”

If you’re feeling stuck in your job, and craving getting out, carefully consider your spending habits. Making short-term sacrifices may allow you to decrease your hours at work, or to accept that job you’d love offering less pay.

7. How can I make a difference where I am now?

Check out this article about how to make a difference in the world where you are now. It’s possible to make a big impact on others even when you’re working in a frustrating, thankless job.

Want more tips to get out of your career rut? Check out my advice in this article on the 7 Mindsets website for 7 tips to make your life less miserable when you’re thinking, “I want to quit my job!”

Featured photo credit: Hard Work Can Hurt/Dave C via flickr.com

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