Biggest obstacle to your dream career? The Voice in Your Head

That’s impossible! Have you ever heard these words in your head when you think of an exciting career idea? You wouldn’t be alone in that experience.

There are many things that can get in the way of creating our dream career.  Some of them are external, such as expectations and traditions of family and culture. Financial obligations and responsibilities, or even geographical location can also stop us. But the biggest obstacle to creating your dream career is the voice in your head. 

Our internal voice is a reflection of our beliefs and the ideas that we have adopted over time. Although these voices seem to be against us, they are trying to protect us from pain. These can include the pain of failure, the pain of disappointment and the pain of vulnerability that comes with uncertainty.

Have you noticed that when you begin to think about a new, exciting career, the voices in your head begin to work hard to diminish your enthusiasm? Unseen problems arise in your mind.  Difficulties that you hadn’t considered are suddenly looming in your head.  The result might be that you feel defeated before you even begin.

These voices are well-meaning but they restrict our choices, activities, and outcomes.

We are often told to push through the doubts of these negative voices. This has worked for some, but for others it simply creates more stress and internal conflict.

A better approach is to become curious. As Eckhart Tolle and many others have discovered, we are not our internal dialogue. When we bring curiosity to our inquiry then we can begin to understand the nature of the beliefs that keep us stuck. In his book The Power of Now, Tolle describes his descent into deep depression. In a moment of awareness he was able to separate the essence of who he was from that deeply judgmental voice.

An immense sense of freedom comes from the experience of realizing that we are not that judgmental internal dialogue.  But what comes after that realization?  That’s where your curiosity can come in. Once you begin to separate that internal voice from who you are, then you can begin to explore.  Try examining the beliefs behind this inner dialogue with a sense of curiosity.

People explore their beliefs in many ways. Some choose therapy or working with a life/career coach.  Some people choose to explore their beliefs through writing or journaling.  Two authors Byron Katie, and Barry Neil Kaufman have each created a series of questions that can assist you in exploring your beliefs. Byron Katie’s method is called “The Work”. Barry Neil Kaufman’s process is called “The Dialogue Process”. Use these questions to explore where your sense of limitation and unhappiness comes from.  You will discover hidden beliefs and you can choose to keep that belief, or change it. This process can bring amazing insights. 

Are considering a change in career? Are you finding the voices in your head are derailing you? Consider becoming curious first.  Explore your beliefs and see where those negative voices are coming from. With a sense of empowerment, you can choose to change those beliefs and move forward towards the career that you have been dreaming about.  If you would like some assistance on this journey, consider hiring a career coach.  I can make the process faster and easier.  Click here to learn more.