At some point or another, everyone reaches a point in their lives where they ponder upon venturing into another line of work. If you have found yourself at the crossroads of a difficult decision—to stay or to leave your current job, here are some things to consider: what is your definition of job satisfaction, do your values align with the company’s mission, do you feel valued at work, what professional growth are you seeking and are you taking joy in what you are doing?
These are vital questions that will guide you in making the right choices that fit your current situation. You should also consider the fact that reading this article is a big indicator in itself that you might be more than ready to pursue a new path but you simply need the courage to step out of your comfort zone.
The hesitation to actively pursue the career you have always envisioned for yourself is understandable. As humans, we are naturally wired to stay in what feels comfortable, even if it does not bring us any fulfilment. Why? Because that is the easy route to take.
You are limiting your true potential for success
We are drawn to events that hold certainty. Predictability is the core root of a comfort zone, it gives us a routine that we are familiar with. Therefore, we stay in our comfort zones because we are not vulnerable to any risks that may endanger us.
Staying in the confines of least resistance is comfortable but it will hinder you from making long-term progress. Sometimes life requires us to take a leap of faith before we can claim our heart’s deepest ambitions. When we take the road less travelled, it gives us a chance to discover our true callings and unveils the weight of our potential. If you continue to stay in your comfort zone, you are limiting yourself professionally.
Your mental health may deteriorate within your comfort zone
Putting professional limitations aside, you are also limiting the advancement of your own psyche. Studies have shown that once you have mastered something, you get into a repetitive mode known as your comfort zone, which will dissolve your brain’s learning centres.
When you can perform a task without much effort, it may turn into a humdrum work routine that no longer sparks your creativity or challenges you to grow as a person. You no longer feel the need to search, explore or experiment with anything new to produce results. This could trigger symptoms of mental health struggles. If you can relate to this, consider this: you can expand your horizons and extend your worldview when you put yourself in a different environment. You may consume new information or be exposed to new skills that will bring you a new sense of purpose, which will greatly improve your outlook on your work and life, as a whole.
You may delay the life you have always wanted
Do you seek a job that allows you to improve your network? Do you value work-life balance? Are you in search of a meaningful pursuit? The longer you stay exactly where you are, the longer it is going to take to achieve those goals. You might not get the same accessibility to new jobs a few years down the road. Be brave enough to keep moving forward in the present moment. Your dreams should outweigh your fear of the unknown.
Your judgement becomes clouded
Your professional life can start to mirror your personal life. You have been so conditioned to tolerate dissatisfaction at work that this may spill over into other areas of your life. For instance, you may lose interest in picking up a new sport, travelling to a new place or making new friends. While we like to believe we can compartmentalise facets of our life, it is often intertwined. How we behave at work might be exactly how we behave in other aspects of life.
You could be dragging someone else down
Perhaps you have been prolonging your stay in your current position believing it is the right thing to do. But in reality, it has negatively impacted others. Maybe your co-worker is disheartened by your lack of enthusiasm, your friends might be troubled by your frequent complaints and your family members feel helpless. You may not only be helping yourself by stepping out of your comfort zone, you could be leaving a positive effect on others too.
We urge you to take comfort in knowing that any setbacks that may occur outside of your comfort zone will never be permanent. If you are still strongly considering a new professional route, the doors to working as a financial planner at KWO will always remain open. It is a supportive space that provides work-life balance to ensure your well-being comes first. Click here to take a leap of faith with us.