Is It Time to Pivot? 3 Questions to Ask Yourself
What are you doing with your life?
How many times have you asked yourself this question and then felt bad when you didn't have an answer. I've been a legal adult for a while now, so by law, I should have my stuff together. But here I am, sitting at my desk, trying to figure out life.. again.
Last week I was scrolling through Tik Tok and that familiar creator line "I don't know who has to hear this “ popped up. The other part of the wisdom was - it's ok to change your path. It's ok to pivot so hard that everything you've done before this moment doesn't matter. My first reaction to that was - ok, sure. Just ignore everything I've done and do whatever I want.
Shrug, smirk, negative attitude, insert let's be real mood here.
But I knew what she was really saying.
I've pivoted a few times in my life, so why am I reacting this way now?
I'm in a different place in my life. The last time I did a real shift was when I decided to return to the corporate world and ditch freelance life. Well, that was the last time I had to pivot by choice.
I just realized that my "what am I going to do with my life" eras always align with work.
One of the most significant pivots I ever made was quitting my entry-level advertising job to get into social media. I moved home and asked my parents to give me six months to find a social job. I jumped into it by taking internships that didn't pay. It was a scary time, social was new, and I had no idea what I was doing. But I didn't give up - within three months, I landed my first paying social gig at an agency.
That pivot changed my life.
So why the negative attitude now?
Stakes are higher. I own a house, I'm older, and the stigma that you should know what you're doing is heavy. I also have life plans that I want to achieve that require me to act on the adult side of things. The reality of it is that I am trying really hard to fit into a mold that was created before me. You must have a job, health insurance, a house, and a retirement plan.
All good things and important. But I am feeling more and more that the way we're used to getting it doesn't have to be my path. I'm not saying you should forget everything you've done before today to be happy, but you don't have to stick to the path set for you.
If you're reading this, I am sure that much of your life is already outside the box.
The other day I found myself wishing I had lived in another country for a few years. I wish I had started my youtube channel a few years ago when I said I would. If I was only 20 again I would…etc.
Crazy how I feel like a lot of what I want can’t happen because I am too old, an adult.
Last year I was part of the layoff frenzy that swept tech. It was unexpected, and it threw me for a loop. I started looking for jobs immediately because isn't that what you should do? But the economy is structured without you, so you're subject to its whim. We can only apply to what's available. It's been six months since I was laid off. Thankfully, I am starting to see a bright side, but it's been scary. It's given me time to think more broadly about life and realize for the first time that the five-year plan that we all kind of make can be shaken at any moment. And for the first time in a long time, I am seriously asking myself, what am I doing with my life?
You don't have to wait to lose your job to reevaluate your path. In fact, you shouldn't. You don't have to hold yourself to the path you carved out for yourself five years ago. You don't even have to hold yourself to a plan you built out last year.
If you’re like me and pursing your career, but also feel a little lost, now is the time to ask yourself the real questions.
This is where I am starting:
Where am I now? Evaluate your life.
Work-life, personal life, finances: Don't leave a stone unturned; write it all down.
Create a spreadsheet or a document for the breakdown.
Write down what you like and what you don’t like. Be truthful.
Where do I want to be?
Don't worry about how to get there. Just write it down.
Who do I want to be?
Do you want to be a business owner? Do you want to be a better friend? Do you want to be someone who is financially secure?
Have you ever asked yourself these questions?
What is important to remember is that if you don't like where you are, you can change it. You're not stuck. It might take a few years to truly pivot, but what're a few years in the expanse of life?