Let's Say Your Career is a Car...
Let's say your career is a car. It takes you where you want to go. Sometimes it moves fast and you’re just holding on for dear life. Sometimes it moves painfully slowly, or it starts and stops like it's stuck in heavy traffic.
Maybe this car (or career) of yours is flashy and impressive from the outside. Other people are impressed when they see you or hear about what you do. Or maybe yours isn’t so flashy, but that’s ok with you. It's stable and you know you can depend on it to last you a really long time.
Maybe there are some interesting people in this car with you or maybe you're alone. Maybe there are interesting things to see from your car(eer) or maybe not. Or maybe this car(eer) has broken down by the side of the road leaving you feeling frustrated and helpless.
Can you relate to this idea of your career as a car?
If your career was a car what car would it be and why? How would you describe it?
What choices do you have about this car(eer)? The destination? The speed? The temperature? The music?
But when you think of yourself in this car(eer), the speed it’s moving at and the place you’re going, and the music you’re listening to, the big question is this:
Who’s driving?
You might discover that somehow you’re in the passenger seat, and you don’t even know how you got there.
Maybe you hitchhiked and you’re now in someone else’s vehicle. And hey, that’s ok - we all need a ride now and then. But at some point, you might discover you’re headed to a destination you just don’t care about. And if that happens you need to know this: you get to have a say in where you’re going.
How are you handling the maintenance?
(Yes, I’m still driving this metaphor. Driving - get it?).
Are you just putting enough gas in to get you to your next destination? Do you have regular “checkups”? What would that look like for you?
Just like many of us don’t think about our cars until something falls apart, many don’t think about their careers until they really have to. And by that point, it might feel too late.
What would it look like to be more proactive about your car(eer)? Would you consult an expert? Would you spend some time learning some skills to save you money? Would you consider trading in this vehicle for a different one?
What if you want to change car(eer)s?
Keeping with the car metaphor, if you’re making a change - whether it be a job or a car - it’s not as simple as just getting out of one and into another. You may have to do some research.
You could talk to people who know about different car(eer)s. You might ask people who actually have the car(eer) you’re interested in. Ask about their experience with it. The pros, the cons, the challenges.
Maybe you’ll go for a test drive.
Ideally, you’ll learn as much as you can to be sure that you are choosing the right car(eer) for you and not leaving those decisions in someone else’s hands, right?
So, what do you think? If you need help seeing your car(eer) in a new way, schedule a call to learn how I can help
PS - Episode 6 of The Intentional Career Podcast is the podcast version of this blog!