There are times in life when we realize we’ve reached a stage where further progress is not possible. No matter how hard we try, there’s no way ahead. It can be disheartening to find yourself in such a situation, but things don’t have to stay that way. There are a few ways to successfully deal with dead ends.
At HiCounselor we help people navigate the fluctuations that occur in their careers. We know many of our readers find themselves in situations where there’s no forward movement. Read on to get some tips on how to successfully deal with dead ends. If you’d like help in getting your career on the right track, contact us and one of our mentors will gladly work with you!
Is it a Dead End?
The first thing you have to figure out is if it really is a dead end. Sometimes our patterns of behavior can make changes or differences seem like an insurmountable hurdle. If your workplace has introduced changes that you don’t like, some adjustment period is all that is needed. The change that can seem unwelcome at first could be something you start to like later on.
Exit or Detour?
There are many different ways to successfully deal with dead ends. Sometimes, the dead end is less severe. For example, maybe your department doesn’t have many growth opportunities, but a different department does. In that case, you don’t have to leave the organization, you merely have to switch to another department. If there’s no scope within the company, then you must look for opportunities elsewhere.
Redefine Goals
Maybe you got into your present circumstances because you didn’t fully understand the ground reality at first. To successfully overcome the dead end, you should examine your current goals and see if you’ve outgrown them. Maybe what was important to you once isn’t worth any effort now. Think about what’s important for you now and what’s likely to matter in the future to help shape your new goals.
Redefine Success
You can face dead ends in different areas of your life, like relationships and careers. When that happens, it may be time to think about what a successful outcome looks like to you. Maybe you had your heart set and mind made up about how things were going to go. If things aren’t working out the way you want, you may want to redefine what success means to you. Sometimes the best way to successfully overcome a dead end is to change your outlook.
Look at Overlooked Options
Whether we consciously realize it or not, we generally have options that we choose from. You might have “followed your heart” or picked something you were passionate about earlier. If you realize down the road that it’s not for you, it’s time to move past the dead end. Examine any options you overlooked while choosing this current direction. Some of them may seem more appealing in hindsight.
Expand Your Circle
Humans are social creatures who can vastly benefit from having positive, supportive people in their lives. Sometimes meeting new people can help spark ideas or give encouragement when life gets stagnant. Your new connections might be able to help you directly or give you access to others who can help you. While there’s familiarity in old social circles, they aren’t great for shaking things up in your life. Making new friends is a fun step in successfully overcoming dead ends.
Get new Hobbies/Skills
Sometimes the same old routine can make a situation seem worse than it is. By never stepping out of your comfort zone or trying new things, you might be unintentionally limiting yourself. One way to overcome a dead end successfully, is to freshen your mind. You can do that by trying new hobbies or investing in skills that will help you on your new path. The good thing here is that there’s a really wide list to choose from. There are classes for nearly everything so what are you waiting for?
Get Going
Once you’ve figured out how to successfully overcome the dead end, you have to get to it. Your routine might have become passive and couch potato-ey but you have to shake that off. Start by energizing your mornings because that helps set the tone for the rest of the day. Yoga, meditation, aerobics, workouts, jogging, etc. are all ways you can pep yourself up. It’s important to get out of the rut so you can get past this dead end and maybe help inspire others to do the same!
We hope this list helps you successfully overcome the dead end! If you’re unhappy with your career and want a new job or new career path, get in touch with HiCounselor and have a chat with one of our helpful mentors. The best thing about working with us is we only take payment once we’ve got you a job! Read our reviews to know what people have to say!
HiCounselor has forged technical advances to transform the hiring landscape for job seekers and recruiters alike. Our career accelerator program provides job seekers with coaching and mentorship from industry leaders employed at FAANG companies while recruiters ally with HiCounselor to empower their hiring strategy and hone in on the best candidates. Learn more about HiCounselor here and reach out to us on LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.
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