Jane from Methuen

Dear Dr. Dot-Connector, 

I work in a company that I know does great work (environmental engineering and energy efficiency) but I am becoming clearer that it is not the place for me. The challenge I am running into is that I have a hard time focusing and getting excited about my projects because I am thinking of getting out. I know that this is not fair to my employers, but gosh, sometimes I just want to fall asleep! I am just starting the process of looking for something else. I want coaching around making the most of what my situation is right now, rather than dragging my feet to work.

Sincerely, Jane from Methuen.

Jane,

I call it “the Drift”.  Imagine that you’re a ship in a harbor.  You’ve lifted your anchor already but you haven’t set course, and now you’re drifting out to sea.  The concerns of harbor life are receding into the distance and the sea is calling your name.  It’s completely natural to lose focus on the job at hand when you’re thinking about what’s next.  

What’s important right now is to find a way to use your situation to advance the ideals and concerns of everyone involved vs. trying to convince yourself to be excited about something that you’re not excited about anymore. 

The first step is acknowledging yourself for realizing that it’s time to move on.  It takes awareness and courage to admit that your current job is no longer congruent with who you want to be in life.  It’s not about you or your job being good, bad, fair or unfair; it’s about honoring yourself and your vision for your life.    

The next step is to take a close look at what you committed to when you started your current job.  Look at what you wanted to achieve while you were there.  Look at what you said you would accomplish.  Go back to the very beginning and try to remember how you saw it then.  What’s left unfinished?  Where did you decide, consciously or unconsciously, to abandon your commitment, or let go of the vision you had then?  Where did you decide, consciously or unconsciously, that what you wanted to achieve was not possible or not worth it?  

Take your answers to all of these questions and write them down.  Then, one by one, find some way to complete or fulfill every single item on the list.  Yup.  You heard me.  Every single one.  Your solutions might not look the way you originally imagined, and that’s fine.  The point is that you find a way to fulfill or complete every single item on your list, however that looks. 

If you take my coaching, you’ll leave this job feeling more powerful than you’ve ever felt in your entire life, and you’ll bring that power and momentum with you into your next job.  You’ll find ways to use your situation to advance the ideals and concerns of everyone involved.  You’ll also reap the reward of being way to busy to fall asleep on the job.  You’ll have to bring the ship back into harbor until the job is really done.  Good luck, Jane! 

-Doctor Dot-Connector

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