by Amy Blaschka
Republished from Forbes, September 17, 2018
Transitions are tough.
Most of us dislike change, particularly when it’s thrust upon us unexpectedly. But even when we know it’s coming, we dread its arrival.
Recently, a good friend of mine was speaking about leaving her long-time job to move on to a wonderful new opportunity. She was second-guessing her decision, struggling with the idea of leaving behind a role and colleagues she loved, until she made a simple but powerful mindset shift.
She said, “It’s not a loss, it’s a change.”
At that moment, it dawned on me that if my friend could come around from a place of anxiety to acceptance, then perhaps we could adopt her mindset for other career changes.
Have you experienced any of these adjustments?
- Your company was (or soon will be) subject to an acquisition, downsizing, or a new management team
- Your nonprofit has a new board chair
- You’ve been promoted to a leadership position
- During a company reorganization, your department has been disbanded, and your role has been redefined
- You nailed a pitch and won a new client
- You’ve been in the same industry for years, and good at what you do, but you still feel like something’s missing
These examples demonstrate the “range of change” we all face during our careers. Even seemingly positive transitions can be stressful if we allow fear to plant seeds of doubt. However, each of these scenarios has the potential to be an extraordinary opportunity for growth when we step back and view our situation through a different lens.