7 Steps to Unlock Your Next Level
Three years ago I touched Rock bottom. I was working at eight degrees in a chilled meat factory at the mercy of a relentless micromanager. All while feeling trapped in a town that wasn’t aligned with myself. It was a period filled with frustration and a sense of purposelessness.
Perhaps you can relate. You have a job, you make money, but deep down, you know there's something missing. You find yourself questioning the very purpose of your existence, wondering if there's more to life than what you currently have. There is uncertainty and you keep asking yourself what your place in the world is.
But here's the thing: it's okay to feel that way. In fact, it's necessary. Give yourself permission to acknowledge the pain, to confront your biggest challenges head-on. Take a moment to visualise the obstacles standing in your path, the aspects of your life that make your spirit feel heavy.
Now, here's the good news: those challenges, as intimidating as they may seem, are your ticket to the next level of your journey. Just like moving on to a new level in Super Mario Bros. You've already overcome everything in your current level; now it's time to unlock the potential waiting for you in the next one.
Know that each challenge you face, brings you closer to realising your true potential. Your journey is just beginning.
What option would you choose?
Resist change and live an average life: You can choose to continue feeling the pain every day, resisting any urge for change, and settling for an "average" stable life. This path might offer temporary comfort, but deep down, you know it won't lead to fulfillment or growth.
Use the pain to unlock your potential: Alternatively, you can choose temporary discomfort, face your challenges head-on, and unlock your next level of personal and professional growth. Yes, it might involve some pain for a period of time, but the rewards are immense. Imagine feeling accomplished, rewarded, and self-confident. Picture waking up every day excited about your life.
Since you're reading a newsletter providing career advice, you have already started taking action and I suspect you’d go for the latter.
I'm here to support you every step of the way.
Unlock Your Next Level
Take a moment to reflect on your previous achievements. You've already proven so many of your talents. List out all the things you've accomplished and pat yourself on your back. You've been exposed to various challenges and experiences and now it's time to for to another level.
Sure, it won't be easy. But remember, you're more than capable of overcoming any obstacle. Think back to the things you once only dreamed and have now achieved. It seemed impossible then, but now it feels like second nature. This is no different.
1 - Visualise your problem
Start by taking a moment to fully visualize the challenge you're facing. Close your eyes. What does the problem look like? Describe it in detail with colours, sounds, aromas, and most importantly what feeling it brings to you.
Don’t skip this step, as you need to know exactly what you’re going to work for.
This will give you the direction you will need for all the upcoming steps.
2 - Brainstorm 10 solutions
Once you have a clear picture of the problem, it's time to get creative. Brainstorm a variety of potential solutions, no matter how crazy they may seem at first. Write them all down without judgment. This step is about quantity, not quality.
For example my goal 3 years ago was to find a job that I could enjoy, offering me flexibility and the opportunity to work remotely from a warmer location. Here is what my brainstorming looked like:
Start an online dropshipping business from Geelong- my town at the time.
Find a flexible QA job in Geelong.
Secure any remote job and then relocate.
Move to Queensland and explore manufacturing job opportunities.
Research other online job possibilities.
Learn coding and change career.
Identify transferable skills and pivot careers and work remotely.
Learn project management skills.
Land a remote project management role.
Relocate first and pursue project management opportunities elsewhere.
There are studies that say that the first 5-7 ideas are average, and the last 2-3 ideas are the true result of creativity, which generally are the best.
Now it’s your turn: list out 10 potential solutions and pay close attention to the last 2 or 3. They are likely going to give you clear next steps.
3 - Define the Project Goal
See how we didn’t define the project goal first? This was intentional. Reason being, we want to shift away from the problem and focus on the solution.
For this, I follow a simple method where I define my goal as “Achieving the solution” and not “Solving X Problem”. This is a subtle but powerful language shift that keeps your brain positive and motivated even when it feels like there is no hope.
In the example, my goal was to ‘get a flexible job as a project manager’.
More examples to help you shift towards a positive language:
Leave my job —> Get my dream job
Stop working for others —> Start my own business
Loose weight —> Gain fitness & agility
Move out of this house —>Rent my dream house
What’s your project goal?
4 - Lay out a project plan
With your project goal in mind, it's time to create a detailed plan of action. For that, it’s best to define milestones that lead you towards to final goal. Milestones are like mini goals, which again, they provide motivation, clarity, and reassurance that we are on track to our goals.
In my example, I set the following Project Milestones:
1-Get Project Management foundations
2-Enrol to a course to gain qualifications
3-Bring Project Management into my job
4-Have first interview for a project manager role
6-Move to a warmer Location
7-Get a project management role
8-Get a flexible project management job
My project plan evolved as I started taking action. I updated milestones and activities to course correct. I learned and corrected, as I gained knowledge from the project itself.
What are the milestones that will lead you to your goal? Could you draft a list of a few activities you will need to do to start?
5 - Define your Project Budget
What resources are you going to need to carry on with your project? Estimate a number, a rough idea.
In my example, I needed $90 for eBooks, $250 for online courses, $7000 for online Master’s degree and $900 for coaching sessions. This makes over $8000, however, I only spent $600-$700 a month for a year, as I paid the Master’s degree in installments.
In your case, look at your project plan and your budget. How much money can you put aside for your project?
6 - Take action
I recommend taking action as soon as you have 1 milestone and 1 activity to get done. The more frequent incremental steps you take, the faster you will fail. Yes, I said ‘fail’.
Failing is a big part of achieving your goal.
For example, when I first started with the idea of being a project manager, I thought I could work independently, as a contractor or even as an entrepreneur. 😂
But that was a terrible idea as there were too many unknown variables. So, I kept it simple and put my mind to find full-time project manager roles within an organisation.
Another big failure was when I realised that regular online applications weren’t working anymore. Especially when doing career changes. That’s when I reduced the time I spent more time commenting and networking on Linkedin.
7 - Results
I would love to tell you that my project was progressing very slow at the beginning, but this worked out well, as I needed time to digest the new information. I always focused on enjoying my transformational journey and never rush stages.
While executing and making small corrections, I started hitting milestones one after the other. At the end every milestone was coming to me faster and faster like a magnet.
To give you an idea, the same day I moved to Perth I had my first Interview for a project manager role, and 2 days after I was offered that role.
Finally, after a year and a half in my project manager role, I moved to another company which offered work from home flexibility, making me hit my last milestone and project goal.
Conclusion
More and more people feel unfulfilled nowadays. Even though it may seem like a bad thing, being unhappy enough is the first step to fuel your eagerness and start your project.
Let’s call it “tactical sadness”. 😂
Whilst it took me 3 years since touching rock bottom until I got my flexible software project manager role, I enjoyed every stage of my project. Ultimately, patience is something that we should couple with taking action.
Embrace the pain, the sadness, and the down days. Touch rock bottom with your soul and body and use the available resources to skyrocket your life and career. Remember, every setback is a setup for a comeback.
Let your struggles be the beginning of your great story.