You might be saying “What?” to that headline for this article. “What?” is a question we explore thoroughly in career coaching, and what I mean by staying in the question of what, is that you do not allow yourself to jump ahead to the next question, which is “How?”
What’s What
Let me explain how I approach these questions with my career coaching clients. Before making a career change, it is crucial to understand your motivations and ensure you are doing it for the right reasons. We start by clarifying what you want in your next career and why. Once you have a clear understanding of your motivations, desires, and needs, committing to change becomes much easier.
Ask yourself:
- What is working in my current career? What is not?
- If I could start my career over, what would I do differently?
- What are the situations where my creativity shines the most?
- What am I most enthusiastic about?
Maybe you are considering a career change, and you want to incorporate being outdoors in your new job. You start researching positions in forestry and you get really excited about the possibilities. But before you start investigating the positions available and whether they would be a good fit for you, a little voice tells you “How can I possibly leave my 9-5 desk job and do this?” That is jumping to the how question.
Based on my years of coaching experience, I can tell you that the how has a way of revealing itself once you really get into the what. When you get to the point in your research of talking to people in the profession you are considering, you will hear stories of how other people got into the field. But by jumping ahead to the how, you are not allowing yourself to fully explore the what.
The Brain Game
That is due in part to our brains, which love a quick fix. Human brains prefer to close a loop, so they naturally will jump ahead to the how. The Zeigarnik Effect, named after Russian psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik in the 1920s, explains the psychology behind open loops. Our brains are wired to crave closure, driving us to resolve what is incomplete. Open loops tap into this cognitive tendency, creating a lingering sense of unfinished business. When faced with an open loop, our natural urge for closure kicks in, pushing us to seek the missing piece, find the conclusion, and achieve that much-desired mental resolution.
Anxiety comes with uncertainty, so it is a relief for the brain to rule out a possibility. Neuroscience tells us that our brains are wired to resist change so we jump ahead to how could I possibly do that. And when we rule out a possibility that is giving us anxiety, that relief floods the brain.
If someone thinks they may want to become a yoga instructor because they like to incorporate movement throughout their day and they want to help people connect with themselves, the brain may jump to “But I won’t earn enough money being a yoga instructor.” Instead of ruling that job out as an option, I would tell the client to stay in the what and examine what exactly the job entails. Create a pro/con list. If the income potential goes in the con list, that is an assumption you need to investigate. You may eventually prove it to be true but first you need to research and talk to yoga instructors. Or you may find that the low salaries you have revealed in your research only include a few hours of work per week. If that is the case, perhaps you consider other positions that allow you to incorporate movement and connection with people that could supplement your salary as a yoga instructor. Maybe yoga is only one-third of what you do, and other positions supplement your income and time.
Try to understand objectively the data you are collecting and understand that you will likely make some assumptions. Just be sure to check out those assumptions to see how true they are.
Sit with the Question
When you sit with the question of what, you can fully explore what you want, jobs that could match that desire and what those jobs entail. I instruct my clients to collect all the data they can get as to what the job is. They typically start with online research and then turn to people they know or others in the industry for informational interviews. Sitting with the question what starts to open different avenues they can explore.
I also ask them to be as objective as possible. Try not to put too much judgment or emotion on the data that you are collecting.
From a Man of the Cloth to Working with His Hands
I worked with a career coaching client many years ago, but his unique story still sticks with me. Lucas (not his real name) was a chaplain who did a lot of hospital work, counseling patients who were dying and their families. There was a lot of emotional fatigue associated with his job, and he struggled with the pull to do more hands-on type of work versus his desire to help people in the capacity of his chaplain role. Lucas had worked for the phone company before entering his religious studies, and he missed that type of hands-on work.
Once Lucas understood the concept of staying in the what, he started to embrace that hands-on work piece and at the same time, realized he would not be letting God down if he chose another career path. He was able to accept and acknowledge that repair and maintenance type of work is also noble and started to identify a path that he could make happen. Lucas was in his mid-forties at the time and did not want to start all over as an apprentice. So, he ended up finding a certification program that worked well for his skills and life. Once he accepted what he wanted in a career, he became open minded to finding options. Lucas is now an HVAC technician and loves his new life.
Related: How to Manage the Emotional Roller Coaster of a Career Change
Promotion Problems
I also see clients who think they want a promotion skip past the what question but that is a situation where it could not be more important. That is because a lot of people feel like they are ready for a promotion simply based on the amount of time they have been on the job. “I’ve been in this job for five years; it’s time for a promotion.”
But instead of expecting promotions based on timelines, this is an opportunity to inquire into what you really want:
- Do you want your boss’ job?
- Do you want a more challenging position?
- Do you want direct reports?
- What does a promotion look like?
- How will a promotion enhance your life?
It is the same formula we have been discussing regarding career change. Get really clear on the what first. If you are just following in the footsteps of your supervisor, maybe their path is not the same path for you. If you feel like you are ready for a promotion, maybe you just need a different type of stretch assignment. Or after examining what you want, maybe it is time to have that promotion conversation with your boss.
Once you identify the what, the how starts to reveal itself. When you jump to the how, it can prevent you from acknowledging, honoring and eventually pursuing what you want in life. Remember, staying in the what allows you to fully explore your desires and potential without the constraints of practicality or fear. By embracing this mindset, you give yourself the freedom to discover new possibilities and pathways that align more closely with your true aspirations.