I want to ask you to think about something you might not have considered in a long time:
Do you like the work you do?
Before you answer, re-read that line – “do you like the work you do…” – because it means far more than “the job you have…”
Think about it, and then answer the question.
So, do you?
For a lot of folks, the answer is “no.” They might like the people they work with, they might like the industry they’re in, but in terms of the actual work they must do every day? They don’t like it.
So why do it?
Why intentionally set yourself up to dislike something for months or years when you can take action and place yourself into a better spot?
For some people, the answer is money.
For others, the school system their children are in.
For still others, there simply isn’t any work they’d truly like to do and they might never actually be able to be happy in their career.
No matter what, though, you have a choice. You don’t need to continue down the path you’re on, and – if you’re like a LOT of Americans – “money” keeps you stuck in an industry or career you dislike, there’s plenty of ways to change that, even in the weird world we’re living in today, where jobs can be hard to come by and breaking into a new industry seems impossible.
Let’s start with the basics, first budget.
The truth is, we often set ourselves up to get stuck on the wrong path. Many Americans live far beyond their means, and once they have reached a certain income level, they can feel stuck in a job or career due to all the bills they’ve got to pay each month.
Now, that might not be easy to acknowledge, but if you feel “stuck” because you’ve got to make two car payments, then the easy thing to do is … trade them in or pay them off!
Why stress yourself out in a career that you hate just so you can keep up with the Jones’?
In my experience, the easiest thing for a higher-income earner can do to move into an alternate industry is to realign their budget to reflect a much smaller “nut” to cover each month. Think about it – if your current financial situation “forces” you to clear over $7,000 each month and you’re unwilling to sacrifice some things in order to change your situation, simple statistics tell us that you’ll be looking at far fewer job openings.
I’m NOT telling you to go back to square one and pretend you just got out of school but being open about your budget while changing careers can allow you to make more changes.
Not only will lowering the amount of debt you’re servicing each month give you more flexibility in relation to changing careers, it’s also very liberating.
The truth is, living on the hairy edge of your financial means can be a bad thing. In fact, when you get right down to it, stress about your finances might be the root of the stress you feel at work. For example, when you set up a budget and recognize you can live on far less than you make, you allow yourself to not bring financial worry into the workplace. You aren’t always looking for overtime, or scrambling to hit a bonus.
In short, your ability to enjoy the work for what it is, not simply viewing it as a means to an end. So if you find yourself constantly stressed from work and thinking of a career change, maybe take a moment and reflect on your actual budget. Of course, there might be some aspects of budgeting and taxation that my team and I can help in, and while we aren’t career counselors, we can definitely help you get to the bottom of all the money you aren’t making.
Feel free to give us a call and set up an appointment to see how giving yourself a raise might change everything in your job.
