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3 reasons to work with a career coach

Whether you want to change careers, grow a new division, or simply get your life moving in a new direction, change is required.

Yet, change can feel uncomfortable and sometimes painful. We get used to where we are and with what we know — all due to its familiarity, whether positive or negative.

We are creatures of habit and feel secure within predictable structures and routines. The problem is that growth cannot occur without experiencing some uneasiness.

We hate our career, but stay because of the money. We are bored of the same restaurant, but keep going there because it’s the place we know for years. The list goes on and on.

This is where coaching comes into play, by helping to guide you in the following three actions:

Gaining clarity

Sometimes we don’t have an exact road map for what our next level will look like, but we know we need to grow and accomplish more.

A good career coach can help you get in touch with your core values and beliefs without judgement.

The idea is to uncover what you truly love — and what holds you back.

We are all motivated by different things. For example, when you began your career 20 years ago, you may have forgotten about your passions, when more responsibilities came with running a team.

It is quite possible for our core values to change. Growth is about overcoming where you are today in order to be present and in tune with your goals tomorrow.

Staying motivated

Once you get clear on your goals, a career coach can help you stay motivated.

Change can be difficult if you established yourself in a high-level position over the years. But it is in the world of the unknown where creativity and vision occur.

How can you create something new by doing what you always do? It’s impossible.

By taking the time to visualize your goals each day and feeling the feelings of attaining them, you can build upon them.

This process is the opposite of the familiar “cause and effect.” Cause and effect is the model that our brains have been conditioned to trust.

The longer you have been in the same role, happy or not, the harder it is to make a shift and your mind with conger up excuses to stay in the known.

Making you accountable

For change to occur, you need to take responsibility for your life and choices. This can be a hard pill to swallow.

A career coach can help hold you accountable to attain bigger accomplishments. Overcoming obstacles is equivalent to overcoming oneself.

We are always growing and cannot remain as the exact same person throughout life, no matter how comfortable we have become in the same senior position.

It is very easy to do what you have always done. But then you will get what you have always gotten.

Ask yourself: is this the best version of myself? What is it about me that I need to change or do differently?

The majority of people would rather hide under a rock and complain about their circumstances than do anything that requires them to feel uncomfortable.

It is those people who test the waters and understand they will be uncomfortable at times in their life who accomplish more than they could ever imagine!

One’s age, time, title and years at an organization are all used as excuses and stories our minds create to stay exactly where we are.

Nicole Attias is a business writer and prospect coach based in Toronto. She can be reached at nicole@prospect2win.com.