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Key points
- In August 2021, 2.9 percent of the U.S. workforce quit their jobs, changing companies or careers, or taking less money for more flexibility.
- Finding clarity around one's goals for the future begins with identifying the factors that make life personally meaningful.
- Making a major change in your life can lead others to project their fears and doubts onto you, potentially damaging your confidence.
We’re moving into year three of the global pandemic and all of the sadness, anxiety, division, and death that has come with it. And as new variants emerge and stalk us, we’re also coming to terms with the reality that this virus may be a part of our lives for some time.
As a result of the pandemic, many of us are also reflecting deeply on what truly matters. We’re determining what we want—and don’t want—in our lives and what things we might want to shift or get rid of altogether. And one of the biggest shifts has been our relationship to work, causing more people to call it quits than ever before.
“The Great Resignation” is upon us. This term—attributed to Anthony Klotz, an associate professor of management at Texas A&M—has been used to describe the mass exodus of people from their current jobs. In April 2021, 2.7 percent of the U.S. workforce quit their jobs, which was the highest ever recorded at that time, according to recent statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Since then, that number continued to increase: 4.3 million Americans, or 2.9 percent of the workforce, quit in August.
Some are changing companies, some are changing careers, and others are taking less money for more flexibility or taking time off from work completely if they can afford it. For frontline workers, leaving their job was a matter of safety or a reprieve from high levels of stress. As two from among the reported 552,000 Black women who left the labor force in the past year described their experience in Barron’s, it meant liberation: Jarie A. Bradley and Kristina C. Dove, who chose entrepreneurship as part of their next chapters, shared: “We both left notable careers and leadership positions in 2020 to launch our own businesses. We yearned for the ability to make our own decisions and have ownership of our time and energy.”
The desire to evolve is natural, and goal-setting is an important part of that process. Perhaps you’re looking for a career that offers more flexibility so that you can be home more, or perhaps you want to pursue a degree or a certification to level up in your industry. Whatever the impetus, it’s important to be holistic when designing your new path in life. Think about not just what you want to do, but how you want to live.
As we move into an uncertain 2022, one way to find clarity and certainty is to reflect on your dreams and write your answers to a few pointed questions. Here are three key considerations for mapping out the possibilities:
1. How do I want to live my life?
This is a good time to think about what you value and how you plan to craft your next move. List your top 10 most important factors, such as more time for your children, caring for your parents, or making a difference in your community. You might value being able to have three days off in the middle of the week, or perhaps you need more time to work on yourself. Whatever you value, make sure you center it.
2. What is the logical path for me to accomplish my goals?
Is it going back to school, pursuing a credential, or securing an apprenticeship? Once you know what’s most important, consider the possible paths that can get you there. Keep an open mind: The right path might be something you hadn't thought about or something that surprises you.
3. What are my sources of support?
Sometimes making a big move in your life causes well-meaning people to project their fears and doubts onto you and try to talk you out of what you know is right for yourself. Those seeds of doubt can wreak havoc on your confidence. That is why you need encouragement and support. This support could come from a professional organization, former colleagues, mentors, or like-minded friends. Find a tribe of people who have your back so you don’t feel alone. They’ll help you navigate the ins and outs of your new journey.
As you consider these questions and look within for the answers, take inspiration from this poem by Mary Oliver titled "The Journey," which begins:
One day you finally knew
What you had to do, and began,
Though the voices around you
Kept shouting
Their bad advice‚
Though the whole house
Began to tremble
And you felt the old tug
At your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
Each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do
Facebook/LinkedIn image: Karen Dole/Shutterstock
