The call to live up to your potential can be powerful. It can happen at any stage of life and is marked by:



• Intense emotions
• Yearnings
• Frustration
• Anxiety
• Vacillation between settling for the known and a compelling pull towards something more.

If you find yourself in a career crossroad, you might believe you are failing. Somehow you did not make the right choices and you have reached a dead end. The road out is fraught with danger, unpredictably and real consequences.

The Crossroad can feel like a box filled with the familiar. It may not be a box you love, but it is the one you know. To cope with your box, you focus on all the good things. You like the people you work with, you have a certain degree of freedom, and you have achieved a level of competence. All of these positives are far from enough to make you happy, conversely, they are enough to keep you stuck.

Sunday afternoons into the evening is marked by a feeling of dread. You begin to think about getting in front of the computer screen on Monday morning dealing with work that does not fulfill you. You envision yourself walking into your workplace where you do not feel valued. You ruminate on your creepy boss, negative co-workers and unappreciative customers.

There are a million reasons why you have found yourself in the Crossroad. Of course, the question at hand is, how do you get out? Here are some strategic steps to set the stage for your escape:

Step One: Get quiet, settle down and take some time for introspection. You cannot access your creativity and problem-solving skills when you are panicking.

Step Two: Establish a general vision for your future. You may not have the exact job title or business endeavor defined right now but you might be clear about wanting life-balance, more time freedom and meaningful work. These life affirming aspirations are the foundation for your future momentum.

Step Three: Get support. Your self-limiting beliefs will drown out your dream if you do not have champions encouraging you. Any positive human contact will help. Join a Toastmasters group, establish a Mastermind group, take a self-help class or hire a career coach. The simple act of sharing your truth with a close friend will help immensely. Let other people help you.

It is critical you understand Crossroads are a natural, even healthy, part of life. If you are stuck, you are not doing anything wrong. Yet, you must find the courage to take baby steps forward. As humans, we do not do well when we stagnate. Health issues are sure to pop up if you shove your potential down and hide from your natural evolutionary process.