When the going gets tough - how to stay motivated on your career change

There are certain to be times when you lose heart and stop believing that a new career is possible; when your current work wears you down or life pulls you in exhausting directions. 

This makes it almost impossible to find the energy and motivation to complete the next piece of research or take the necessary step towards your new direction. 

Everyone has times like these – I know I did – and I also know that they will pass.

But how can you speed them on their way and find the focus and commitment to making your career change happen?

Here are 10 ways you can give yourself a real boost when you’re in the doldrums. Choose the one that appeals most to you and you’ll be back on track!

1. Anchor to your WHY– remember exactly what’s driving this desire for change 

Is it about a value you want to be able to express (like creativity or collaboration)? Or is to have a greater impact in the world? Maybe it’s an opportunity to use a passion or mobilise one of your favourite strengths. Whatever it is, bring your WHY back into the open and spend some time imagining how your new career will enable you to use it to the full. 

I loved having a vision board of my values when I was changing direction. They captured some vital elements of what I needed for real fulfillment (my WHY) and it was a great source of inspiration when I had simply lost my career change mojo. 

If you’d like to create your own, you can download my free vision board guide here.

2. Set a time-limited task (e.g. 30 minutes) 

Focus on one task for a limited time according to your immediate schedule. 

If you know you have 30 or 60 minutes and sit down with the intention of not moving until your time is up, you’ll be surprised what you can achieve. The time limit really helps beat procrastination and ensures the task isn’t too overwhelming.

3. Reward yourself when you finish

Celebrate every win, however small. Whether it’s focusing for 30 minutes, a leap forward, or a breakthrough with a particularly tricky part of your career change, pause to give yourself a pat on the back, go out for a celebratory drink - and share the news with someone who cares. 

This invariably boosts your energy and commitment and marks another milestone along what can sometimes be a very long and twisty path.

4. Boost your energy with some exercise or a breath of fresh air

This one couldn’t be simpler. You know what will give your energy levels a boost, so be sure to carve out time for this – you’ll reap the benefits almost immediately. It’s often when we’re out walking in nature that our best ideas arrive.

5. Reduce your next goal to manageable chunks

If you’re thinking about a pretty big goal, try breaking it down into smaller chunks and build from there. You’ll always find one simple step you can take – and the rest will follow.

6.  Inspire yourself  with Ted Talks / favourite blogs / YOUtube clips / podcasts

Who really lifts you up with their words of wisdom, inspiring story or resonant sayings? 

Have a few go-to writers or speakers when you need a creative breath of fresh air and a reminder of what’s driving this change. Having someone you admire share their wisdom helps create resonance with the purpose of your career change. 

This is especially true when a speaker is sharing their own success story of overcoming setbacks. Knowing it’s possible for someone else will help you believe you can make it happen too.

7.  Try a new approach

What haven’t you tried yet? Perhaps make your immediate goal visual or share your stumbling block with a sympathetic friend. 

When you hit a brick wall, try a new tack. 

Instead of staring at a blank sheet of paper, try mind-mapping or vision-boarding for new ideas. Or ask a creative friend what they would do in your situation – you’ll be surprised how a fresh approach can introduce new ideas.

Mind-mapping options from ‘Designing Your Life’ by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans

8.  Remember what your new career is going to give you

Envision the life you are hoping to achieve in as much detail as you can. Think about where, what, who - and fill in details using all your senses. 

Some people find it useful to create a vision board as a stimulating reminder of your inspiring future.

9.  Tap into your passion – what do you love about this project? 

How can you make it bigger and more charismatic? Think about how you can reconnect with your topic or project and do it today. 

Being active for a cause you are passionate about or reawakening an interest or activity in a small way will make you feel this is real, and can reward you today.

10. Use lists – and cross things off 

Add a time frame to each item and prioritize your list. But also be prepared to go with your flow – if you feel more inclined to dive into a task lower down your to-do list, why not give yourself permission to tackle that one when you feel so inspired?

Crossing a completed task off your list is a great feeling and marks another step forwards.

And finally, two seemingly contradictory pieces of advice:

- don’t make excuses. When you catch yourself procrastinating, face up to this delaying tactic. Common excuses include ‘I don’t have time’ and ‘I don’t know how to start’, so whatever you’re using as an excuse, get it out in the open and be honest with yourself.  

You CAN make time, and if you think about it, you CAN find a way of starting, so don’t let yourself off the hook too easily

- allow yourself regular time off the project doing something else you really enjoy. 

This will refresh your resilience and renew your enthusiasm for your career change when you come back to it. You’ll feel happier generally, which is a productive place to start.

I hope one of these ideas will help you to fall in love with your career change all over again.

Don’t let a stall become a dead end – I promise you, by following these approaches, you’ll be able to get back into action.

When you achieve your dream, these small obstacles will seem miniscule. So what will you do today to move one step closer to the life you really want? Let me know in the comments for extra accountability!

Don’t forget that you can book a 30-minute Discovery Call with me to gain clearer focus on what’s really stopping you from being where you want to be. Use the button below to take a huge step towards your goals (even if they’re not super clear to you yet).