Week after week the scope of work involved in running Cardy Career Coaching keeps growing, which is an absolute blessing. I’m so, so pleased to be doing this work that is positively impacting so many people’s careers for the better.
I truly believe that we are helping not only the professionals we serve, but also the world, because the more people working in their sweet spot, the better.
But if I don’t pay attention to the changing workloads and needs of my business I can set things up in a way where I become burnt out, overwhelmed, and ineffective, so much so that our level of service and growth suffers.
So a big part of my job description right now is knowing when to get out of my own way and bring in help. (We’ve recently upped our behind-the-scenes game to do an even better job supporting our clients. It’s very exciting!)
You may not be running a business, but you are running your life and career.
Take a note from my experience.
There are three BIG signs it’s time to get support. How many of the following are you exhibiting.
1. You aren’t getting results.
Earlier this year I’d hit a wall in terms of growing Cardy Career Coaching. I knew our services were top notch, but I’d narrowed down on the idea that something was off with our marketing. I didn’t know the details of how to fix the problem. I saw firsthand the impact of this issue, a lack of consistency in incoming clients, and it stunk!
So I took a leap of faith and hired two marketing experts to take a look at was going on. Shortly thereafter I had a list of targeted recommendations of things that I readily agreed could be improved. I just hadn’t seen them until they were pointed out to me.
Results are always possible. If you aren’t getting them, there’s just something you don’t know.
For example, if you’re having trouble figuring out what to do next with your career, it’s probably because you are too close to the issue (like I was with my marketing issue), and you need someone who can give you a fresh perspective.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll be able to run with implementing new ideas. It’s just hard to see what you’re missing on your own. So a key time to bring in help is when you aren’t getting the results you want from your actions. You know you’re missing something, and you need someone with expertise and perspective to show you what it is.
2. You are losing hope.
Let’s be honest. Underneath the photos of smiling people engaged in work they care about there is a real truth. Creating an awesome business or career has its daunting moments. We all have them. I’ve had more than I can count!
A clear signal for me to reach out for support is when I can’t see a path forward and am losing hope. Vision and hope are essential to motivation and follow-through. When the belief in a better future dries up (temporarily), I find it seems easier to curl up into a ball and stare into space vs. face whatever I’m up against. This initial bad day can sneakily turn into an all out funk if I’m not careful.
After many such moments, I’ve learned my lesson! I call in the calvary (help) as soon as possible when I notice that everything seems beyond my reach. It’s time to lean on other people who can hold a vision of possibility for me until I get my sense of hope back.
If you’ve lost hope that there’s anything better out there for you career-wise, we need to put you in the context of other brains that can see possibilities for you that you can’t right now. Getting support can literally be the difference between staying stuck and getting on with your life.
The right help in these moments is like a squirt of windshield wiper fluid on your thoughts about your future. It can help you to see farther and more clearly than you would on your own.
3. You’re overwhelmed or burnt out.
Overwhelm and burnout occur when you take on too many things. The solution is to lessen the number of things you are doing. I bump into this pretty regularly. Work keeps growing, and if I do things the way I used to do them the results would be that I become completely cranky and swamped and totally ineffective. No bueno.
We each only have so much bandwidth. Many of our clients come to us in a state near burn out from a challenging job. And on top of that they are trying to figure out what to do next all by themselves! Can you see how this is a pretty poor recipe? Trying to add another thing to be in charge of on top of everything else that is going on?
Instead, outsource. Get someone on your side who can help reduce your load. What if you could follow someone else’s lead in terms of getting your career figured out instead of trying to figure out the process and lead yourself? One way is going to be a lot easier.
Approaching burnout means your resources are already nearly maxed out. To make progress, you need to bring in help to carry some of the mental load you’ve got going on.
Now you might be thinking, but Alison, it’s my career, shouldn’t I be able to figure it out all by myself? Ha! The fact that you are so close to the topic is actually what is going to make it harder than it needs to be to figure out your career if you try to tackle this alone. If you’re exhibiting one or more of the signs listed above, please, please, please, pop in a quick application to work with us in one of our Signature Career Clarity Coaching programs.
Asking for help isn’t a weakness. It’s actually what makes you stronger. This is coming from someone who asks for help all the time. More gets done. Life gets better. And my peace of mind stays largely intact the more I invite people to support me in my career and life. Give it a try! It’s a very healthy way to live your life.
What are signs in your life or work that you pay attention to that help you know when to reach out for help? Leave a comment below!
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