Hello Fellow Seekers!

I dont know about you but Im pretty tired of hearing about how you can follow your dream in three or four easy steps. Ive seen plenty of people leap before they sufficiently looked --and end up dissatisfied or broke, or both. Ive also had clients come to me after reading a hot, new book or attending a workshop. And they still cant figure out what it is they want to do for a living.

Of course not! You cant think your way to a new career or, at least you cant 99% of the time.

The truth is that career change is no walk in the park. It takes focus, a smart strategy and guts.

Focus:

Anyone can start their career change effort with vigor. But keeping your fires burning for the duration of your journey is another story. Given the roadblocks and the absence of any hard deadlines, its just the kind of priority that can fall through the cracks of your busy life.

The key is to create an environment of accountability. Here are four ways to do this:

1. Schedule your career change activities into your weekly calendar. As Steven Covey would say, make it a big rock priority.

2. Register for a class or workshop that keeps you engaged and focused for an extended period of time.

3. Career change cant be done in a vacuum. Work with a mentor or coach who has a good business head and market perspective.

4. Know exactly what you hope to gain from your career change. A clear and compelling personal benefit is your secret weapon to hanging in there for the duration of your journey.

A Smart Strategy:

The old adage look before you leap is perfect advice for prospective career-changers. Keep your day job and let your paycheck enable you to take all the time you need to discover new work options and test them out. Successful career changers know that this is the essence of the process -- and it usually doesn't happen overnight. Once you are clear that a particular path is right for you craft a good plan to get there. At a minimum, your plan will include new training requirements and timing, building a new network, and a communications strategy for leaving your current employer.

Guts:

Successful career-changers know two things: First, how critical the courage factor is to their ultimate success; and, second, that its not possible to feel courageous 100% of the time. By its very nature, the career-change journey is a wiggly road. When your courage is on the wane, try these approaches:

1. Dont confuse uncertainty with disaster. Avoid the mental drama that takes you to the worst possible outcome. These projections are not your present reality.

2. Focus on your gifts and talents. Acknowledge yourself deeply, and at the feeling level -- for the experience and skills you have gained. Write them down as a reminder of your abundance.

3. Trust in Divine Presence. As long as you continue to pursue your career change smartly, and take solid, active steps (i.e., do your part!), providence will support you as well.

Finally, remember that we are indeed, a free agent nation. Safe, smart career change is possible and thousands of people just like you have successfully re-invented their working lives. Without question, you can, too.

May you thrive in work -- and life!

Patricia Soldati