How much time do you usually spend planning a holiday? Most people put a lot of time into it don’t they, but why? Because they are excited and looking forward to taking a break and doing something they love, somewhere they want to be.
That is how you should approach planning your career leap, with the same enthusiasm and proactivity, because after all you are planning to do something you love in order to get somewhere you want to be! So in this episode I’m talking you through the steps to plan your career change, using the common ways we use to plan holidays as inspiration.
If you are struggling to get your career change plans off the ground, this episode is for you! So grab a coffee, find a notepad, then tap play above and let’s start planning your career trip!
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So what would you do first when thinking about planning a holiday?
Well, you think about what you want to do. What do you enjoy, what would be a complete break for you and what brings you joy. The same goes when planning a big career change, you think about what you enjoy, what you would most like to do with your days that would earn you an income but would not seem like work because you love it. You think about your passions, your talents and skills and how they can marry together into the perfect combination. That is what you want to do in your new career.
Getting back to your holiday planning, once you know what you want to do, next up is where you want to go. So if you think about this holiday planning step in relation to your career change, this is where you decide exactly what you want out of life. . What type of house do you want (if any) , what kind of lifestyle would suit you, is there anything currently in your life that you want to get rid of like long hours or bad work / life balance? What about your family and friends, your health and fitness. Is money really important or is a feeling of fulfillment and to work in something that is meaningful or makes an impact on the world the ideal? Don’t get me wrong, you can both make good income and have fulfillment in your work, but on balance what is most important to you? This all helps you narrow down your ideal destination.
The next step in holiday planning is how you will get there! So checking out different options, whether its flight, ferry, train or car. Will you stop off along the way? What company should you go with, which will be the easier or harder route and what are you willing to pay versus what comfort you want on the journey. Where will you stay when you get there and what resort or area suits you best?
In relation to your career change it’s not about modes of transport but it’s about what kind of career path you want, what type will best help you showcase your passion and talents and take them to arrive at your dream destination. So by that I mean do you want to stay as an employee, working for a person or business, or do you want to take your talents and work freelance as a specialist, contractor or consultant for lots of different businesses. Then there is exploring your passion through a business on the side of your main job which will eventually become your main income, or taking a bigger leap and leaving your life as an employee to set up a business or multiple businesses as an entrepreneur.
Do you want to stay in the same country or would you like to work in another country? Or maybe you could set up a business in a new country like you see in TV programmes like New life in the sun or escape to the Chateau. Maybe you are thinking of a mix or one or more of those options! Deciding on the method of how you can best bring your passion and talent to the world is just as important as discovering what you want to do day to day, and will depend on your personality, the responsibility you want, how much risk you are willing to take and what your ideal destination looks like.
When you know exactly what you want to do on holiday, where you are going, and how you will get there, you are ready to decide on when you will go, and can go ahead and book.
It might be that you need to save or you are planning on going for a specific occasion so it could be some time in the future, or it may be that you want to take that trip within a few months. Whatever it is you have to decide a specific time and make a provisional booking, and usually pay a deposit. The deposit is your commitment to taking that trip, it can be a bit painful having to put some money down but it tells you that you are serious about going, its not a dream anymore, you are going on that holiday. What most people then do is put the holiday dates in their diary amd a notice board or wall somewhere for them and any family or friends that live with you can see it everyday and be reminded that they are taking that holiday and that they need to prepare.
For your career change ‘when you go’ would mean deciding when you want to be in your new career path by. It could be in 6 months time or a couple of years away, depending on how big a change you are making and how prepared you already are. When I was planning to launch my business I had a two year deadline as I knew I had to learn a lot about business and was in a demanding job so was realistic in what I could achieve. Even if you are not absolutely sure when it will be, it is so important that you make this commitment to yourself. By choosing a date you have something to aim for and also can start investing in yourself in order to get there. That investment is your deposit. When you start investing in yourself to learn more or set up systems or processes to help you reach your launch date you are saying that I am worth investing in because I will be making this change to my career which will change my life. I have chosen the date when this will happen and I am telling everyone that this is what I am doing.
With a departure date in mind, you would now start preparing for the trip . It may be that you need to spend some time saving up to make sure you can enjoy the holiday without worrying about money. Or maybe you need to learn a new skill like skiing or scuba diving or climbing so you can get involved in the activities when you are there. Perhaps you need to renew your passport or, as we have most recently had to deal with, or organise vaccinations or tests before you can depart.
This is also the most exciting time when you can really plan what you will be doing when you get to that holiday destination. It’s when you can scour websites like Trip Advisor to find out where other people recommend going in the area or to make sure you don;t make the same mistake as others like choosing a fish restaurant that has dodgy prawns or beaches that are always packed. You can also talk to friends who have also gone to the same place to find out their top picks or places to avoid. Yes you could just risk it and turn up on your holiday having done none of this, I know some people like to be spontaneous which is great but it’s riskier as you could miss out on some great experiences without the planning and although it may work out well on the spontaneous route, there is a bigger risk that it could all turn out badly or just not be that great.
The same goes for your career change. You could just prepare minimally for your move, maybe not saving up 6 months salary to ensure you have a money cushion behind you for peace of mind and to buy you time to build your knowledge and experience in your specialism or business path. Or not taking the time to re-train or educate yourself further to prepare for your new role. You may think joining groups full of people in your desired specialism to research and learn is not really your thing or you don’t want to speak to others who have done what you want to do as you think you know what you're doing.
You could think, I’ve had enough I will just resign and take the plunge into a new career specialism or setting up a business without planning or educating yourself in advance, and maybe it will work out but, just like not planning the best activities for a holiday, the odds of that happening will be far lower than if you take the time to prepare in depth and learn from others who have gone before you.
Finally, you can get on with what you want to take with you on holiday, your packing and those final preparations before you take off on your exciting new adventure. In those final weeks the anticipation rises and you can shop for those last minute items like sunscreen and items for your travel bag. It’s when you start fantasising about the holiday and counting down the days. Then on the final day, you check your travel documents, zip up the suitcase, get into the travel outfit you have decided on and embark on your journey. Not knowing how exactly it will turn out but having planned as much as you can. How it all goes will be in the lap of the gods, you can’t plan for things outside your control like weather or other peoples actions, but you have put yourself in the best position to have an amazing trip.
The same goes for your career leap. You won’t be packing a bag, unless you have decided to move to another country as part of your plans, but you will need to decide what you want to take with you into your new career and life. What things do you enjoy as part of your current job would you love to keep as you move on? Are there people in your life that you want to keep in contact with, or indeed people that have not been supportive of your new move and that you will not be bringing with you as you forge a new path. What skills are you packing, what attitude will you be bringing?
You should be just as excited at this point as you would be stepping out that door on your holiday. You will have planned for every eventuality and packed all you need for your new career and life. However, just like a holiday you can’t plan for everything and eventually you have to take that leap of faith that everything will work out and there will be sunny skies, calm seas and a life full of fulfillment, meaning and success.
The Bottom Line is...
You should approach planning and actioning your career change with the same excitement, enthusiasm and proactivity as you would your favourite holiday. After all this is something that is going to change your life and deserves the same if not more attention.
By planning in detail you are setting yourself up for a great new adventure and putting yourself in the best position to make it a great success!
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