Career crossroads are not easy to navigate. A career crossroads is when you have multiple career opportunities, and all of them are great choices.
I recently ran into a career crossroads. At first, I did a logical comparison of the options. I compared all three choices by:
- the earning potential
- hours I would need to work
- benefits
- flexibility
- what opportunities they would each likely open
It did not work. There were pros and cons to each choice.
When people are unhappy at work, they do not describe it logically. They describe it by how they feel. And it’s usually an awful feeling.
So, if we leave jobs because of how they make us feel, we can also compare career options by how they make us feel. I found these four questions help to guide my decision.
- Where will I make the most impact?
- What helps the world more?
- Which path allows m heart to sing and open the most?
- What future story do I want to tell?
I found a quiet space in my house, lit a candle, and brought my pen and notebook. I asked each question aloud to myself. For some of the questions, I journaled my response. For other career crossroads questions, I felt into the question and allowed my mind to wander. I spent about 5-10 minutes with each question and by the end, I had an idea of which path to take. It’s the most unlikely one. In my next post, I’ll share how I tested my decision with close friends and advisors to be sure I was sure.
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