Are you presently in a job or business that is lacking in some important areas? If so, there is a strong possibility that you are feeling frustrated, bored, perhaps even dreading each work day.

Maybe you're longing for relief from all the things you hate about your job. Our many years of experience has shown that jobs which are unpleasant tend to cause you to focus a lot of attention on what you don't like or don't want rather than what you do want. In reality, this takes you farther from the very thing you are seeking.

The following exercise will guide you to "flip flop" all the undesirable qualities in your present or recent job into the qualities, skills, preferences and tasks you want to have in your job or future Career Playground.

In the exercise below, you will be completing an assessment of your current or recent job. It will allow you to determine all the things you dislike about your current position and convert these aspects into the qualities you desire for the future. Sometimes this simple step can increase your level of clarity significantly. This exercise is best done with the guidance of a coach who is assisting you with your career transition process.

Instructions

1. Starting with a blank sheet of paper draw a line down the center of the page. In the left column, make a list of all the qualities that you dislike about your current or recent position. This can apply to a business as well. Be sure to be thorough and exhaustive. If you need to extend to a second sheet of paper due so. Numbering the items is also helpful.
    
2. For each of the items listed, ask yourself the following question: If this item describes something that I don't like, what does this imply that I really do want in my job which is not YET present? Answering this question will allow you to see what is important to you yet missing in your current position. 
    
3. For example, if you are presently feeling isolated because you are working alone, you probably want more quality associations or relationships with colleagues, perhaps a sense of partnership or collaboration with others. Right? If you presently have a supervisor who is overly critical, you probably want a supervisor who is supportive and empowering of your efforts. Right? We call this a flip flop because it is like turning your undesirable quality inside out and describing it's opposite, the actual desired outcome. Many people do not realize that each area of dissatisfaction in your life is actually pointing you towards what you want.
    
4. Your next step is to place the desired characteristic or flip flopped item in the right column of the page next to the item that you don't like. By continuing in this manner with each of the items in the left column, you will wind up with a list of desired attributes in the right column. Completing this step can be quite illuminating and helpful in and of itself because many people tend to focus so much on the problem and not on the desired result. Shifting your attention to the desired result allows you to start envisioning (and creating) what you want right now!
    
5. Using all the items in the right column, write a description of a new job you would prefer over the one you now have.

Important
Even though this exercise is very powerful, it needs to be combined with many other assessment tools and not be relied upon by itself to determine your career direction.

Assessment Session
A good next step in clarifying your career/life direction is our complimentary Coaching Jumpstart Session. This will allow you to see the big picture and create an optimum course of action.

To schedule your session, click the above link and complete the form. We will respond promptly to confirm your session and give you the steps to prepare for it .