Helpful Tips to Change Your Life By Changing Your Mindset

Let me guess. 

You studied hard in high school, worked your butt off in college, and did what you were supposed to get your career underway. You’ve held low-paying positions, worked for crappy management, and checked off everything you were supposed to on the proverbial Career Success Checklist.

You thought you were finally underway for where you wanted to be in life. 

And now, suddenly, you are being forced to change your career. 

Even though all of us have heard the saying, “Life happens,” we’re still surprised when drastic changes head our way. 

But I gotcha covered. 

Here are some tips on how facing your fears and making a career change might just be the best thing you could do for yourself. 

Name Your Fear and What’s Behind It

It will feel safest to stay inside your comfort zone. You may think that’s the only way to keep your peace of mind, financial security, or even what makes you happy. 

But that’s not always the case. 

Sometimes, staying in your comfort zone can actually do more harm than good. 

Most people don’t like change and their initial response is to run away from it. It’s just the way we’re wired. 

The first step to overcoming fear of any kind is to name it. 

Naming your fear means being consciously aware of what your specific fear is (so that you can actually call it by name), and realizing how you are responding to it. 

Only then can you understand the roots of that fear and intelligently do something about it (either moving forward or giving in). 

Yes, a career change is a big move. But considering how our minds exaggerate the actual gravity of situations, it is safe to assume that naming your fear and figuring out its roots can help you realize the true scope of the problem you’re facing. 

Hint: It’s probably not as big as you think it is.

And the realization of that will help you in the decision-making process.

Ask: What’s the worst that could happen?

If you really start to think through your fears, you’ll come up with lots of bad scenarios. 

They will be scary. They may even overwhelm you and make you anxious. 

Rest assured, it is completely normal to feel that way. 

Our minds fall into repetitive thought patterns until we either run away from them or go back into our comfort zones.

So what should you do? Glad you asked. 

Write down all your fears, starting with the worst ones. What are the worst, possible things that could happen? 

Be as specific as possible. 

Have at least 10-20 things written down.

Anything goes. 

If you think you’ll get fired, lose the house, and go homeless, put that down. All the absolutely worst things that could happen. 

This may seem counterintuitive but writing these things down is the best way to name your fears. It will help you see your thoughts on paper and put words to the anxious abstractions your mind has been dwelling on. 

Ask: What will I do if this happens? 

Now go through everything on your list and think: What would I do if this thing actually happened? 

Again, be specific. 

What would you do if you lost your job? What would you do if you lost your house? What would you do if the absolute worst-case scenario happened? 

Would you use your savings? Call a friend? Work at McDonald’s?

Go through each of your worst-case scenarios and come up with a game plan. 

You’ll find that most, if not all of your fears, are fully reversible. (With a very small likelihood of even happening.)

Ask: What is the best thing that could happen? 

Now come up with a list of the best-case scenarios. 

What are the best things that could happen if you follow through with this change? 

Again be specific. 

Think about how your life would be different a year from now, three years, and five years. 

Think about how your life would be the same (or even get worse) if you don’t make this change.

Naming your fears, finding ways to meet them, and then coming up with the best-case scenario plan will show you the cost of inaction, as well as the fact that your fears are often unlikely and reversible, while the change you’re afraid of could actually make things significantly better. 

This exercise will also help you match your feelings, desires, and personal goals with the various career options you have right now. It will clear up what needs to be done and help you set clear goals and objectives. 

Don’t censor your thoughts

Brainstorming careers will only work if you understand what drives and motivates you. You will automatically excel in doing things you have a passion for. The natural drive is unparalleled when it comes to careers. 

A few hours of brainstorming careers and the paths you can take will help with your mental process.

Don’t censor your thoughts through this process. Explore every fear, and every possibility, and set new expectations for yourself. You’ll be surprised by how well you’ll perform by approaching things this way.  

Look ahead and don’t look back

Being decisive is very important. It is the final action that needs to be performed to overcome the fear of something once and for all. When you reach this stage in changing careers, it is important that you look ahead and not back. 

This might be difficult, but not focusing on past mistakes and learning to forgive yourself will ultimately work for the better, and give you more confidence in the process.

Avoiding thinking about the past helps in two ways. First, it allows your brain to let go of past negative memories and any feeling of remorse associated with them. Second, it helps your cognition kick in and do what it’s supposed to do: figure things out so you can charge ahead.

Do the work! 

This goes without saying but: You have to do the work! Career change is a big deal. Not only do you have to pivot at this point in life, but you also have to take on new challenges and learn new things. 

All of this requires time, dedication, and a lot of effort. Accept the challenge and approach it with a can-do mindset. 

Planning is crucial. It helps you overcome your fear and see the light at the end of the tunnel. Set a goal for what you want to achieve in the next year and make a plan for each month for the next twelve months. 

Not only will this help you organize what you need to do, but you’ll also find that quantifying the amount of work you need will help your subconscious realize that it is achievable. 

We all feel overwhelmed at times, but as you start checking things off your list, you will realize that progress is the inevitable consequence of moving toward your goal. 

You’ll be hooked in no time.

After all, who doesn’t love crossing things off a list? 

Tyche Takeaway

• Career change is a big deal. Most of us aren’t blessed with perfect scenarios throughout our lives and have to deal with some setbacks. However, a career change is not the end of the world. In fact, it can be the beginning of a great new one. 
• The more you understand the root causes of your fear and appreciate the fact that you can do something about it, the easier things will come to you. 
• It’s better if you look ahead instead of dwelling on the past. 
• Brainstorm career choices and opportunities and make a monthly plan for the next twelve months. 
• If you take the necessary steps, you’ll find that the career change you were dreading for so long wasn’t as bad as it first looked. Soon enough, you’ll be on the right path and achieve great things in life. 

P.S. If you’d like help taking the first step in your career transition, you can get your free Tyche Career Change Roadmap here. Or, if you’d really like some specific, personalized coaching, you can set up a 60-minute Power Hour with me during which we’ll take a deep dive into the topics of your choosing and come up with a game plan for you to move forward.