Inertia. Even the word sounds like a disease. No, it isn’t literally a disease but it is one figuratively. Simply defined inertia is: resistance or disinclination to motion, action, or change. For those of us who are stuck in a job we hate, inertia can sap our energy, drain our lives of joy, and make us miserable to be around. The following 5 tips will help you make the changes necessary to bury your inertia.
1. Update your resume. Yes, you read it right. More than likely one of the accuses you have is that your resume is woefully outdated. Pull it out, look it over, and make the changes. Most importantly ask yourself, “Am I proud of my most recent accomplishments?” Probably not!
2. Start dreaming. You probably already have imagined yourself working outside of your current place of employment. Now is the time to visualize what you want to do. Is it a career change? Do you want to go work for the competition? Do you want to start your own business? Write down your dreams and aspirations and start investigating your options.
3. Widen your circle of friends and associates. Chances are the people you associate with are “enabling” you to stay in your miserable job. Should that be the case, expand your network of peers and start spending time with new people who have fresh ideas who will not hold you back. A positive attitude will vault you forward while negativity is a certain hindrance.
4. Set concrete goals. Telling yourself, “I want to have a new job next year,” is not a concrete goal. Plan out your “exit strategy” from your current job and your “entrance strategy” into your new job. Incorporate all the steps you will need to take to get that new job which can include: a refreshed resume, a wardrobe overhaul, weight loss/management, career coaching, and more.
5. Get fired. Well, not really. However, if in the meantime you do lose your job, look at it as a blessing in disguise. Sometimes we need a push in our lives to make the tough decisions we dread, or fear. You can always “fire yourself” by setting a deadline as to when you will leave your current job. Tell yourself now, “this job has ended,” and be prepared to get moving.
You have full control over your inertia and only you can decide what to do about it. It is time to move on. You know it, you really do.
