Key takeaway:

If you’re here, it’s because you think something is missing from your professional life. You might be just graduating college, in the middle of your career, or beginning to think about retirement. Wherever you are right now, you dream of something more. You want to see what’s over that next ridge. You know you don’t want to waste your time skills. You know that there’s more out there for you. But before you walk out the door and explore a new professional life, take a minute to get your bearings. If you don’t, you’ll be lost, hungry, and scared on the difficult trail ahead.

A recent Conference Board study found that 53% of American workers are unhappy with their jobs. That’s half of all careers. That’s insane. Let’s reflect on that for a moment - this isn’t just temporary unhappiness or a bad day, this is hopelessness, resigning ourselves to the fact that happiness is a “coin flip”.

Why might that be? Consider these statistics:

• 58% of managers received no training.
• 60% trust strangers more than their boss!
• Only 12% say they leave because of money.
• 79% cite “lack of appreciation” as their reason for leaving.

Those reasons might resonate with you, but ultimately, the reasons are yours and yours alone. Before you can create a new vision for your professional life you must first personalize your reasons for unhappiness. If you don’t, you risk falling back into the same situations and patterns that brought you to this point.

Rules of the Trail:

W - Who are you?

• Your professional identity is more than your job title.
• Explore your identity. Dust off old self assessments. Take a new one. Go back to your college course list. What are all the courses you took and skills you needed to learn to get where you are today?

A - Has your career Atrophied?

• You feel trapped in a job you hate, or a job without a future, or on a job search that isn’t yielding results. Your pay is flat without much sign of rising. 
• Give yourself the gift of an honest assessment of your satisfaction with your professional situation. Choose the dimensions of the job that are important to you and rate your satisfaction with each one.

S - Security

• Your job is not as secure as you think it is. That’s definitely a new normal. 
• Make your own job security. The best way to do that is the lesson we learn from the best financial planners: Diversify your income portfolio. How does your portfolio look right now? If you were an investor, how “safe” would you feel?

T - Time

• Time is the only resource that is completely equal for all human beings.
• Is your time being invested to meet your goals or is it invested to meet your employer’s goals? You need to understand who’s nest you’re feathering.

E - Earning

• A professional career has many goals, but it must deliver a financial livelihood.
• If you’re like most people, you deserve to be earning more. Very likely, you are trading earning potential for (perceived) security … aka a job. It’s time to rethink that strategy.

D - Doldrums

• Single-minded focus on a “job” leads to a stale and limited professional network, “rinse and repeat” work, and reduced creative energy.
• You may be more depressed about your professional career than you even realize. That frustration and lack of energy (even if you don’t acknowledge it) will carry over into the rest of your professional (and even your personal) life. The first step to moving past it is to call it like it is.

Caution!

You might be afraid that all this is too much or that you’re just not up for it. Not right now. You’ll tell yourself that you always have more time. We have a hard truth to tell you: There is never a “right time” to invest in yourself, take control of your professional life, and start exploring your own trail.

Don’t fall victim to self-limiting beliefs. (You’re not experienced enough. You don’t have the right skills. You don’t have the pedigree. You’re too young. You’re too old.) As part of Voyageur U, you’ve got a guide that will help show the right path, equip you with the right gear, and connect you with the right people to keep you motivated on your journey.

Pro Guide Tip

Still having trouble getting started? Join with a buddy! Exploring a new path is always more fun with someone else!