Your attitude to MONEY is keeping you stuck
It is consistently in your Top 3 of barriers to making your career change happen.
I am, of course, talking about money. Money, or financial security.
I want to talk a little bit about the meaning we give to money. The power we give it.
Because in and of itself money is nothing.
Money is a coin, or a piece of paper, not worth the number that's written on it.
It's an agreement that - instead of bartering our services - we have agreed has value. The value it says it has. (Which - nowadays - is worth less every day, it seems).
Money is what you get in exchange for services, which you can then exchange for services or goods again.
That's it.
The power we give it, though?
We believe money can give us status. It can make us keep up - or ideally overtake - the Joneses next door. We believe that people like us should earn money like this. We believe that we DESERVE money. We believe money is an indicator of success, perhaps even the most important indicator.
Money can be our prisoner, keeping us stuck in our job.
And that's before I've even spoken about your ATTITUDE to money.
You see, you might be a hoarder.
Someone who never has enough. Who believes that money should stay in the bank account and should never come out.
You may be GREAT at money management, but you NEVER invest your money.
Or you're a carer.
You spend money on others, but never on yourself. Others come first. Always.
Or you're someone who DESERVES to have EVERYTHING.
Wears the latest fashion and treats herself as soon as her money hits her bank account.
You see what I'm saying here?
It's not just what you BELIEVE about money. It's also about how you BEHAVE around money.
Now, people who have been to my webinar on Money and your career change (still available on my website, go and find it here: Money, fear and your career change) or have read my blogs will know that I am all in favour of an Escape Fund. To start saving into your Escape Fund, as much as you can.
Why?
Because it gives you choices.
You may be blissfully happy in your career now. And I sincerely hope that you are.
But things change.
Your company might be restructuring. There might be new management, who change the culture of the organisation. Your position might become redundant. You get a new manager who you don't get on with.
Your circumstances change and you have additional caring responsibilities, for parents or children. Or you may be released from those responsibilities.
Or YOU change. After doing your job for so many years you want something different. You're coming to an age where you want to consider 'what's next', where you want to take stock of what you've achieved so far and what else you'd like to do in your career.
Your attitude to money can STOP you from making your career change possible. Or might LIMIT your options.
But more importantly, your attitude to money might STOP you from even entertaining the IDEA of a career change.
You might give up before you even start.
You might think that it's hopeless. You might think that there is NO WAY that you're going to be able to make that shift.
If you're a hoarder you might think that NO JOB is going to replace the income you have now and that - shock horror! - you may have to dip into your savings for a transitional period.
If you're a carer you might think that investing in yourself (for once) is some sort of betrayal to the people who rely on you.
If you're a spender you may abhor of the idea that you won't be able to have the same level of disposable income. And not even bother finding out if that's true.
What I'm saying is this.
Your attitude to money can keep you stuck in your job.
Being AWARE of your attitude is a first step to recognising where you may keep yourself stuck.
So, let's start there:
Do an audit for a month. See where you spend YOUR money (if you spend any at all)
Consider what how you spend your money says about you, and what the impact is on your happiness and your ability to change careers
Start identifying what it is you'd like to do next if you weren't so scared. Whilst still in a job.
Before you embark on the journey of letting go of lifelong attitudes and beliefs to money.
A journey that we'll pay attention to not once but TWICE in my Career Freedom coaching programme:
When we identify and address BARRIERS to your career change - and money is one of YOUR barriers
When we talk about making your transition - AFTER you've identified and tested YOUR career ideas.
I can't say it enough: it's not money, but your ATTITUDE to money that's keeping you stuck.
Whilst - if we treat money like the energy, the commodity that it is - it's a number on a spreadsheet, an essential part of your career transition plan. But only a part, an enabler.
Essential, yes.
Heavy with meaning, and status, and identity and attitude and beliefs? Let's work on that!
But let's not let that stop you from finding out what it is that you want to do.
Let's not give it the power to STOP you doing what you LOVE, what you do BEST.
What do you say? Is money stopping you?
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Tineke Tammes is an ICF credentialed Career Coach, who supports professional women in making successful transitions to careers of Freedom, Flexibility and Fulfilment! Besides that she is also a lifelong feminist, part-time portrait artist, never-only-read-one-book-at-any-time reader, and obsessive doodler.
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