Whenever you pivot, there is a window of time that you need to experience before you get your bearings and gain back your momentum, like an extended wobble in a boxing match and an adjustment in equilibrium.

For most, pivoting brings a new city, career, relationship, or partner. These decisions and actions weigh heavier than committing to bangs or V-neck t-shirts. Going from a career or relationship that defines you to finding something to pay the bills, bridge the gap, or get you back on your feet both financially and emotionally is a tall order.

Every meaningful pivot comes with a degree of loss or transitional pain. Pivoting is hard, and that's the reason why many of us stay in a rut or continue to idle because of the related fear and anxiety that accompanies that transition.

There is a lot of pride in never quitting, sticking to it, rising to the challenges of never backing down, and seeing everything through. We have all out-survived others and challenges, taken our lumps, kept ourselves above water, and kept moving forward. It's admirable, but sometimes, enough is enough.

The greatest of all time change their swing, jump to a different team, get traded, or retire. There comes a point where you have to force yourself into an uncomfortable situation or decision.

There are times in your life when you need to change. There is no surviving another round of pain and adversity. It's time. It's just time. You know it in the back of your mind; it's eating at your heart, and there are a ton of clues around you that the "end" is near. You hope you are emotionally intelligent enough to read the room when the time comes.

You make the leap. You jump. You put in your notice. You break up. A serious decision has been made, and you've elected to move forward.

That's the easy part.

Then there is the transition. People encourage you to be brave and make that change, but very few share the stress and doubt of the transition. Undoubtedly, it's harder than the breakup from whatever you are pivoting away from. Pivots are fast, but transitions are much longer and can fill you with an unbelievable amount of doubt, second-guessing, and anxiety. Saying "goodbye" is a piece of cake, but walking away and staying away can be consuming.

You don't feel whole in your transition until you experience success or a rhythm. For many, you consider walking back your decision, and you feel like you're an impostor till you start to fit in or lead the culture of your new endeavor. You start a new job, career, or lifestyle. It's all the same until you get some wins and others around you who notice and appreciate your actions. Validation helps.

During this transition, nobody cares where you came from, what you did prior, or who you claim to be. Everyone is a winner and knows more. Your new relationships come with their baggage and their transitions. It's hard! Especially if you pivoted away from something that once satisfied you and provided a sense of completion and notoriety. For some, that life or path was life-defining, and one day, you wake up as a new person with a new mountain or ladder to climb.

You have to see it through. Just like you did with your previous life, you put in the time to get to where you ended, but you saw it through, and that's how you got to the new chapter. You're now older and more experienced, which is mostly good. I say mostly because with the knowledge and overall handle on life that comes with that maturity comes the stakeholders who may see that as a negative. You have to be willing to bite your tongue, swallow your pride, and embrace that you are once again a bit of a blank slate. You're back in student mode; for many, that is unbelievably awkward and demoralizing. You put in 10,000 hours to master your relationships and skills, only to start the game again.

Just remember, as you get older and start taking inventory of your life, you will realize how many things you lost sleep over that didn't matter. I saw an interview online with Jerry Seinfeld about his obsession with Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoic philosopher, and the book Mediations, which was the beginning of Stoicism. His grand takeaway from the readings and deep dive into his teachings revolves around the belief that everything you are worried about will be gone in a flash and that your worry is a waste of time and energy. Through the book, Marcus Aurelius teaches that your only focus should be getting better at what you are doing now. Everything else is a complete waste of time.

Your past life, what you have gained and lost, and the associated worry don't matter. Everything is "high school" and in the past. People hold grudges, but life never does. Make the decision, deal with and wait out the challenging transition, and know that you are exactly where you are supposed to be at this moment in your life. All you need to do is work on being better than yesterday; your success is only measured by you.

#Tryharder to look past the self-inflicted awkwardness and embarrassment of trying to transition and move forward in life. Understand that what you are doing, where you are, and who you are with may change in the many chapters of your life and the life you have yet to live. Take a look back 5, 10, 15 years ago, and that perspective should give you clarity and confidence for the moments ahead.

If you can get past the pivot and the first steps of the journey ahead, you can rise to the top of more than one industry and find happiness in other interests and relationships. It's in our DNA to hunt, gather, and roam, and it's healthy to pick up new skills and tactics and evolve as we move forward.

Focus on improving from yesterday, and never allow others' opinions to gauge your success and momentum.

#Career #Careerchange #Careercoach #Careerpivot