Should I stay, switch or start-up?
It’s 8.30 am and you’re already on your second Zoom call.
Downing the last of your coffee, you finish the meeting and whirl into the bathroom in the scant 5 minutes you have until your next call - the one that could have been resolved with a quick chat in the hallway, had you just been in the office.
You’re beat, past the point of frustration and try as you might to be productive, you feel unmotivated and...bored.
Now that this “new” way of working has become somewhat normal, you’re back to dreaming about doing something different that truly makes you happy.
Yet you feel overwhelmed, incredibly stuck and are struggling to see what the next steps might look like.
Should you carry on in your current career?
Or is it time to transition into something more fulfilling?
Generally speaking, you have three options:
You can STAY where you are now (or find a similar job somewhere else)
SWITCH to a new role that’s more aligned with your values and passions
Or START-UP your own business.
Which one is right for you? I’ve cobbled together this list of questions to help you figure it out.
Take a few minutes to consider the following. (And hey, if you can journal out your answers, all the better!)
On a scale of 1 - 10, how desperately do you want to leave your current job?
Is your frustration due to a temporary situation? In other words, is there a solution available, such as learning a new skill like healthier communication or boundary-setting?
Are you getting fulfillment from your job? And if not, do you have enough time and energy outside of work to do the things you enjoy?
Are you working in your zone of genius? (i.e. do you feel like you’re in flow, lose track of time and like your work is effortless and fun?)
On a scale of 1 - 10, how comfortable are you with risk?
Once you’ve pondered this, let’s break down all three of your choices.
STAY
You’ve worked hard to get to your level.
You have a big, splashy job that others would kill for and externally, it looks like you have it all.
But behind the scenes, you’re working 12- to 14-hour days consistently (including most weekends), and you’re exhausted.
Your life is primarily focused on work and everything else is just gravy.
You might have an issue with someone in your department, or you’re losing sleep over a nightmare-of-a-project that you’ll be on for the next six months.
With that said, you DO enjoy your work and feel like you’re GOOD at it. And most of the people you work with aren’t bad, either.
Alternatively, if your frustration is deeper than this AND you’re working toward a bigger goal, like completing a graduate program that will allow you to do your dream job…
Or you’ve calculated that staying in this role for one more year will allow you to save enough to start your own business...
Then what’s key is your awareness that toughing it out will help you reach the long-term goal you REALLY want. This is you making a CONSCIOUS decision to stay vs. being in denial about how bad things have gotten or being afraid to make a move.
If this is you (particularly if you answered question #1 with a 6 or lower) then my recommendation is that it might make sense to stay AND find new ways of handling your challenges in order to stay mentally and physically healthy.
Read a book, join a community or hire a coach to get the support and knowledge you need.
If what's bothering you is less so the work, and more so an unacceptable situation with the company (such as your values are not aligned with theirs) then you could considering looking for a similar role at a different place.
However, if your stomach just knotted up and your intuition is rebelling against the idea of staying then keep reading.
Here are some signs that you might be ready to make a career change.
You’re definitely not happy at your current job and feel resistant when asked to take on something new.
You feel uninterested in your projects and yearn for something with more meaning.
The values of your work don’t match your own and you don’t feel connected with your colleagues.
While you may be “fine” at what you do, you’re not working in your zone of genius.
Something else to think about is how fulfilled you’re feeling in your life, overall.
If you’re not feeling filled up by your work and are so depleted by it that you’re not engaging in any activities that bring you joy, then something needs to change.
Let this be your moment to consider alternative options. Especially if for question #1 above you answered at least an 8.
If your job search is already underway but you’re tired of looking for positions in the same old roles that you’ve been doing, then take that as a sign that you need to look elsewhere.
Now the question is, would you rather SWITCH to a new type of work at another business? Or START-UP your own?
SWITCH if you...
Can’t understand what all the fuss is about when you hear people talk about wanting to start their own thing.
Want to join an existing team where you are a part of a whole and focus on a specific role.
Prefer the security of having a regular paycheck and benefits from Day 1 and don’t want to deal with the minutia of starting up.
Have a big vision that needs a lot of resources (people, funding, strong brand awareness, etc.) and there’s already an inspiring company doing this that you'd love to join.
START-UP if you...
Like taking the lead and don’t want to have a boss again.
Are an independent self-starter, driven and believe that taking risks leads to big rewards.
Love flexibility, freedom and calling the shots.
*May* not do your best work when told what to do.
So what do you think? Reply back and let me know what you’ve landed on - do you want to Stay, Switch or Start-Up?
Here’s to loving your work again!
P.S. - If you’re ready to make a strong commitment to improving YOUR work situation, sign up for a 20-minute Career Values Consult with me.
We’ll identify your core values, where those values are misaligned with your current job, and the proactive steps you can take to reclaim your passion and fall back in love with your work.