08 Jan Are You Prioritizing The Job You Have, Or The Job You Want To Get?

It seems like a simple question, but as far back as when I was a Corporate Recruiter, I saw people making the same mistake, and they weren’t even aware of it.

I would call people to come in for an interview, and there were those candidates that would say, ‘I can come in before 9am, at 12pm, or after 5pm.’ Why? Because they couldn’t wouldn’t take time out from the job they currently had for the interview. They saw that as their #1 priority. (Note, if you are applying for jobs and are doing this, you should stop immediately. Recruiters don’t like it, it makes you look entitled, and you’re putting a HUGE strike against you before you even walk through the door).

I really thought (maybe naively) that I wouldn’t see this kind of thinking when I began working with people in my business today.

These are women that know they are on the wrong career path. They have decided it is time to figure their shit out and finally find work that makes them happy. They have made that CHOICE for themselves. And yet they are still working like an absolute dog in their current job, leaving little time and energy for anything else (besides bitching and moaning about how their job is so draining).

It was frustrating to see that although these women now knew they wanted more, they were still sabotaging themselves at the same time.

I know, sabotage, heavy word to use. But it’s appropriate.

• Because if you know you are not living the life you want to live
• You are constantly asking yourself ‘Why am I doing this job?’
• And you’re not making it your #1 priority to find the job you actually do want…

Then my friend, you are sabotaging yourself.

And I totally get that there are times when an important project is due and you have to work late. Or you have work functions in the evening that you absolutely have to attend.

But here’s the thing.

In all those moments when you’re working late or on weekends, when you’re canceling outside commitments or not even making them, are you:

• Asking yourself, ‘what is my priority’?

OR

• Are you operating on autopilot, blindly choosing to slave away at your job because that’s what you’ve always done?

Because you are making a choice. And if you are not even asking yourself that first question, then chances are you’re preventing yourself from getting out of your current crappy situation and putting yourself on the path that is right for you.

I know, easier said than done you’re thinking. What about all those other people at your work that put in those long hours? What about your work ethic and commitment to everyone? How do you just let everyone down?

By recognizing that it’s not about whether or not you’re going to let people down. It’s about not letting your guilt prevent you from being happy in your life. Because that’s what’s happening here. You are making a choice to let guilt stop you from being happy. And your guilt is based on someone else’s choice to let their work consume them. What’s your’s?

Figuring this stuff out takes time. It takes energy. And you are giving away all that time and energy to something you don’t even want! Do you see that?

So now you don’t have the energy to actually think about what you want. You don’t have the time to do the work that’s needed. And you either stay in the job you don’t want and continue to bitch about it, alienating your family and friends who are sick of hearing it, or you blindly job hop into something else, hoping for the best but becoming even more discouraged when that doesn’t pan out, because you never took the time to get clear on your shit.

Ugh, no wonder you’re drained.

But it doesn’t have to be like this. You can start putting yourself first. You can start recognizing that these are choices you are making for yourself. It’s about wanting to enjoy your job and live the life you’re wishing for, or staying lost and continuing to break your back at something you don’t even want.

So I ask you, do you want to prioritize the job you have, or the job you want to get? It’s really that simple.

Allison xo

P.s. If you’re ready (and only if you’re ready) for the latter, then hop on over to Work with Me to find out how I will help you get there.