Question: Dear Luise: I have a chance to take on a different job with my company. It’s in a new field where I think I would do well, but I feel a little afraid of making the switch. How do I work through this combination of excitement and fear? I need some “third-person advice” because I seem to be going around in circles and time is running out. Thanks, Mike
Answer: Dear Mike: We do get used to our comfortable ruts, don’t we? Look around you and you will probably see many people who would rather not learn anything new or take a risk. That’s funny, when you realize that getting up and going to work is risky and so is staying home! Life is a risk, every day, in one way or another.
New jobs are always hard. You want to look your smartest, right when you don’t yet know what you’re doing. What a catch-22! They can also be stimulating and broadening, and that’s what makes you feel excited. It’s a point worth considering, the fact that you are feeling very “interested”. See it as a road sign you need to pay attention to. You are being drawn to the idea and stimulated by it. When you understand that fear is a natural part of the package, because the unknown always initiates it, why not just be scared and move on ahead? Fear is meant to be a survival instinct, not a personal jail. You can never have a 100% guarantee on this or anything else. The old job could fold and then you’d be relieved that you got out just in time, or the new one could turn out to be a mistake. This “third-person” would advise you to take the plunge. Sometimes not doing that is the worst possible choice, but you’ll only know after the fact. It sounds like the shoe might just fit. Why not try it on! Blessings, Luise
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