Are you ready to put your exit plan into effect and quit that job? If you are ready to take action and change the direction of you life – do yourself a favor and figure out if you know where you want to go first. Stop and do some honest self-reflection to center yourself and make sure you will be proud of the life you are leading when you look back later in life.  Think about the following to ensure you take steps in the right direction:

1. What do you see as being the problem right now with where you are at? Is it the people, the hours, or the actual work? Everything that makes you want to puke about where you are or that gives you outright anxiety, write it down.
2. If you had to stay where you are, what would need to change? List out everything you want and need. Be limitless and be honest. Don’t think about where you are, think about where you want to be, how you want to be perceived, and how you want to feel.
3. Where do you want to be in a year? Two years? Five years? Think about it as though you have unlimited possibilities. Don’t rationalize or talk yourself out of what you actually want based on where you are and where you have been. Put simply: you are the only person who knows exactly what you want and where you want to see yourself going in life.
4. What do you like about the work you are doing? This does not have to be a list of tasks or projects, but can be the mere feeling that the work you enjoy gives you. For example – being accountable for a project, leading and taking responsibility for an outcome, etc. There are so many aspects to a fulfilling job/career – and many are not work-product based, but based on the emotions they evoke from within us.
5. What do you think you need to get to where you want to be in 2 years? Even if you are not sure – what do you think you need to get there? Is it the development of some sort of soft skills or do you flat out need to learn a skill or find the right in?
6. What can your company do to enable a better career journey for you? A better environment, better tools, more reliable and recurrent feedback?
7. What do you like about your current job? The location, some of the people, the impact of the company or work you do? If you don’t currently have a job, where is your ideal work location and what type of vision/expectations would make you want to work for a company (e.g. customer-centric, monetary goals, work hours expected, etc.?
8. Are there relationship dynamics that need to change? We interact with others everyday in so many ways, learning how to handle relationships and keep them positive is a lifelong skill – one that will be valuable and necessary no matter where you are in your life or career.
9. The issues/problems/things that need to change – can any of them be made better by believing in yourself more or by changing your perspective? Figure out if you are in your head. Really think about whether any of the relationships which are challenging are due to how you approach them and whether you can handle them more appropriately to get what you want and need.
10. Is there any way that anyone at your current job can help launch you to where you want to go – whether by teaching you something or introducing you to someone? If there is someone can help you – make an appointment with them.

After reflecting on the above, you should have a pretty good idea of what you want from your career and where it is you want to go. That said, you owe it to yourself to explore your options and opportunities at your current job before potentially burning bridges or relocating and reproving yourself elsewhere. Even if you are planning on quitting your job, meet with your manager and communicate why you believe it is necessary to move on. You may be surprised with how the conversation goes, or you may have more confidence in your decision to leave.

How to approach this meeting – the last ditch effort / Hail Mary – will be the topic of an upcoming blog!