Are You Taking Chances With Your Career?
May 11, 2008 by Kristen King
Filed under Business
When is the last time you took a professional risk? When did you last step our of your comfort zone? Are you floating along on a river of complacency, or are you challenging yourself to grow as a person and as a businesswoman?
I’m in the midst of a big professional overhaul, precipitated by the realization that I don’t really know what I do for a living. I mean, yes, I know what tasks I complete to pay the bills, but as far as answering the question, "What do you do?" I’m kind of lost. In fact, I’m so lost that I wrote a rather lengthy post about my professional identity crisis on my freelance writing blog, Inkthinker. Those who read my identity crisis post here at Biz Chicks Rule last month know what I’m talking about. (And if you haven’t read it yet, I encourage you to check it out.)
I’m in the process of saying goodbye to the familiar but unfulfilling work that allows me to distract myself from figuring out what I really want to do. And frankly, it’s terrifying! I’m a girl who likes to be in control, who likes to know what’s coming next, and with this new challenge of forcing myself to stop being numbed by the day-to-day and work more mindfully on my career brings with it a lot of uncertainty. I feel like I’m taking a big chance.
So I ask you this: When is the last time you took a chance? And what are you waiting for? Leave a comment — tell us where you are, where you’ve been and where you want to be. It’s time to shake things up. Let’s do it together.
Contents © Copyright 2008 Kristen King
Tags: women and business, women in business, women, woman, business, professional risk, controlled risk, taking chances, comfort zone, personal growth, professional growth, identity crisis, quarterlife crisis, biz chicks rule, kristen king
I have to think on this. Already this year I’ve made great strides, but you’re right. I don’t really know where I am. I know I would like to blog for a living and write. Beyond that I don’t have it figured out. Every week I discover something new and it changes the way I think about my career.
Am I taking chances though? I don’t think so. I am only beginning to discover what I am doing right so getting outside that comfort zone is going to be tough.
Being in business is all a big chance. Everyday we wake up and start writing (or whatever we do) is all a gamble. We just have to learn to roll with the punches and prepare for whatever comes our way.
Last Friday. I bit the bullet and paid for a month of services from Naomi at Ittybiz for a project I’m hoping will change the direction my career is taking.