I stayed too long in a job that sucked the life out of me. My biggest mistake was not quitting when I realised this. It’s hard. You may be experiencing something similar but not knowing how to get out of it. It's often said you regret the things you didn’t do rather than the things you did do. My story is a point in case.

Getting my mojo back

I didn’t know what to do, I was feeling desperate and stuck. I knew I needed to find excitement again. So I searched the internet, I found some inspiration and I also found a coach, and she helped me reconnect with my excitement and passions. 

My new found excitement led me to take some inspiring online courses which then gave me ideas that turned into a side project. I was thrilled!

But now it was even worse to spend my whole day in office prison when all I wanted was to work on my exciting project! I had to get out of there. I had to find another job that would be more connected to my new interests. 

The excuses that hold us back

It looked really difficult, almost impossible. But I was determined to not give up, and I kept looking for possibilities.

My excuses were few, but solid. The biggest one was “If I find my dream job, they will only be able to pay half my current salary”. 

It’s always about the money, isn’t it?

I was desperate enough to decide to put my assumption to the test. I applied for a few jobs that looked really exciting, and sure enough the first one did confirm my fear. But then the next one really surprised me. They matched my salary without blinking. And I could finally get out of prison!

And I could have done that two years earlier…My biggest mistake was waiting too long.

This was my story about how I got out of a job that wasn’t right for me. I got back on track by connecting with what excited me, not giving up. I did this by testing my assumptions and seeing new possibilities. Now it’s your turn.

3 easy exercises to get started right now

1: Are you currently stuck like that and don’t know how to get excited? Then I suggest this little exercise:

Take a notebook or open a file and write down all that you have loved throughout the years. Take one category at a time: Hobbies, Phases (eg. grunge phase, living abroad, having small kids), Job experiences, Education, Awards, Recognition, Travel, Favorite topics, Favorite activities.

2: Do you already know what excites you, but think you can’t have it? Try this exercise of mapping out your excuses:

Grab a notebook or open a file. In the top write what it is you really desire. Then underneath simply list out all the obstacles that you see standing in your way. Sometimes, just by seeing this in writing changes how you look at it. Now, take it a step further by reading each of the obstacles out loud and asking yourself: “what if this was not true?” write down anything that comes up.