“Wow, oh my gosh, is this me?” These are actual words that I heard from a client after revamping her resume in a way that truly reflected her brilliance. We told her story in a cohesive way and created a more accurate visual representation of her many accomplishments. And as a result, I truly believe that she grew about 5 inches. :)
Since then, she’s received job offers but she has not accepted anything yet because they were not aligned with the value that she knows that she brings.
And this makes me very proud.
I know so many people who have chosen to settle in their careers and I’m sure that you do too.
I know from my own experience that there have been times when the temptation to settle for the seemingly easier route seemed to incessantly stare me in the face.
But I’m thankful that the idea of settling felt more painful than the discomfort that has come from spreading my wings and venturing into the unknown – even at times when I’ve felt anything but ready.
Earlier this week, I met with some entrepreneur friends in a mastermind group that I belong to and we shared some of our financial goals for our businesses. For me, I knew that I’d hit that sweet spot when the numbers that I played with made me feel squeamishly excited.
It was one of those moments where I was thinking ….
“Can I really do this??? Yes … I think I can!”
Again, a feeling of pride for all of us.
Instead of only aiming for what felt comfortable and possible, we honored what felt like our true heart’s desires.
Author and motivational speaker, Bob Proctor once said, “Most people are not going after what they want… they’re going after what they think they can get.”
And this is just not a delicious way to live.
Here are a few signs that you might be settling:
You feel uninspired in your work.
You’re not interested in your own personal and professional development.
You do not routinely feel challenged.
You don’t share your thoughts and ideas with your boss or your team.
You’ve been at the same income level for years.
If any of these things ring true for you – and they feel like settling, then make a decision to shake things up a bit.
Set a New Course:
Do an assessment to determine the areas in which you’ve been settling and pick one area to focus on.
Is it time to finally pursue that certification? Do you need to be more assertive with your boss or a co-worker? Do you need to become your own best advocate for getting that raise?
Once you’ve identified the area that you want to shift, I recommend that you ask yourself these questions in order to fully process where you are and get clear on focused on what you’d like to achieve:
What is it that I REALLY want here? Dig deep…
What is the SPECIFIC OUTCOME that I’m looking for?
What is the PAIN of NOT achieving this goal?
And finally ….
WHO WILL I HAVE TO BE in order to make this a reality?
And remember, this work towards wholeheartedness is about integration and getting all of the pieces of our lives aligned. So, you can use this same process and line of inquiry to support other areas of your life as well, including relationships, health habits, personal goals and more.
Stop settling. You’re too amazing for that.
Owning Change Quote of the Week: “There came a time when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” – Anais Nin
Monica Moody
Monica Moody
