Overcoming the fear of disappointing others is key to finding a career that fits your strengths and values. Jenny's story illustrates the power of authenticity in pursuing your ideal role. The podcast explores academia, teaching, collaboration, and the importance of aligning your career with your strengths and values. It offers guidance on embracing change and scheduling personalized assistance.
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Quick takeaways
The fear of disappointing others and threatening financial stability often hinders people from pursuing fulfilling work.
Exploring different roles and experiences can help individuals discover their passions and align their careers with their values.
Deep dives
Overcoming the fear of letting others down
One of the main obstacles to career change is the fear of disappointing others and threatening financial stability. Many people feel a heavy burden to live up to the expectations of their families, colleagues, and mentors, which makes it difficult to take the leap and pursue fulfilling work.
Realizing the mismatch between passion and career
Jenny, a research scientist, felt trapped in a prestigious science job that didn't align with her passions and interests. Despite loving science as a subject, she realized that the traditional path of an academic professor wasn't a good fit for her. The demands of the job, the long hours, and the single-minded research focus didn't match her personality and desire to explore multiple disciplines.
Discovering a passion for science education
Through exploring different roles and experiences, Jenny discovered her love for teaching and facilitating science. She found joy in guiding and mentoring others in the process of scientific investigation, particularly with non-scientists or people interested in learning more about science. Jenny embraced her role as a generalist, valuing the process of discovery and investigation rather than solely focusing on memorizing facts and information.
Challenges in transitioning to a new career path
Jenny faced several challenges in transitioning to a new career path. The fear of disappointing others and societal expectations weighed heavily on her. It took time to build confidence and let go of her identity as a scientist. With the support of resources like the Happen to Your Career podcast and friends in similar positions, Jenny gained the courage to explore alternative career paths that aligned with her passions, skills, and values.
Fear of disappointing others can be a powerful barrier to pursuing your ideal role. In our world today it’s not “normal” to get paid to be who you are, using your true strengths instead of just the skills you’ve picked up in various roles along the way. But, you want to know the weirdest part? By resisting being your most authentic self at all times (because of fear) we are ensuring that we stay unhappy by default. Jenny hated her job, but was afraid to look for a new role for fear of letting other people down, taking a step back in her career and losing the benefit of her education. Three years later, she landed her ideal role.
What You'll Learn
How to model living authentically during a career change to find a career that fits
How to modify your job offer to reflect what you really want
Why switching industries does not mean starting your career over
Discover how your strengths from your previous role create the platform to launch you into your next role
Have career change questions or want to make an introduction? Email scott@happentoyourcareer.com
Free Resources
What career fits you? Join our free 8 Day Mini Course to figure it out!
Career Change Guide - Learn how high-performers discover their ideal career and find meaningful, well-paid work without starting over.