Are You On The Wrong Career Path? What To Do About It

By Perminus Wainaina

Discovering what you were born to do is never an overnight affair. It is something you have to develop with time and maybe even as a lesson from taking the wrong career paths. There is usually a very big interconnection between being in your right career path, career satisfaction and performing your best.

Being in the wrong career path can cost you career satisfaction and result in you not being in a position to give the best of you in whatever you do.

So how can you tell you are on the wrong career path and what can you do if you find yourself on that unpleasant path to almost nowhere in terms of finding your purpose?

Here are 4 tell-tale signs that you are on the wrong career path and what you can do about it.

Every day of work feels like a drag

Not everyone jumps out of bed excited to face the day but you should at least have something to look forward to as you report to work. If waking up to go to work feels like a near funeral experience on most days, and the days drag, you are bored and often can’t wait to get out, then something is clearly wrong.

If you have changed jobs, tried a change of attitude yet each day of work still feels like a punishment then it is clear that you could be on the wrong career path.

What to do if this is you

If you find yourself bored and can’t wait to get out most of the time, first you need to figure out exactly the cause of all the damage. Do a thorough soul searching and figure out where your gloom originates from. Is it aspects of the job, the work environment, your boss or co-workers?

If you have changed jobs several times, meaning you have experience different work environments within the same career and still experience the gloom then consider a change of careers

Current career apathy

Do you feel as if your heart is just not into it and you have to push yourself to do even the smallest things regarding your career?

We all have days when our heart is really not into whatever it is we are working on but if yours is a constant occurrence then chances are you are on the wrong career path.

Also, if you find yourself wishing you were somewhere else doing something totally different then you could be on the highway to a place you don’t like much and a change is in order.

What to do if this is you

Take time to discover what other topics fascinate you, what you lose track of time doing and what it is that you would do for free due to the satisfaction it brings.

More often your rightful career path may lie in an unconventional field and you shouldn’t be afraid to try out different things.

You are not giving your best

 Do you perform different tasks in your career just to get them over and done with as opposed to really taking your time to give them your best? Do you struggle with even the smallest of tasks? Is it that you are overworked or because you feel like your career doesn’t deserve your full attention?

If your answers are in the affirmative then you could be on the wrong career path. This is because when you do something you really love, chances are high that you give it your all and invest your attention to produce results that you can really take pride in.

What to do if this is you

Take time to speak to your boss or immediate supervisor and speak honestly about why you think you are not giving your best. With this, you can ask him or her to allow you to take up different roles within the company and expand your scope. By so doing, you might come across a role that fits perfectly within your rightful career path.

You only stay on your job for the financial security

When you are on the wrong career path, it is possible to find yourself trying to find an escape route but the uncertainty scares you. You cannot imagine not having a paycheck or the health insurance that comes with the job.

Trying to find an escape route is not necessarily a bad thing as your intuition could be pushing you towards self-discovery.

What to do if this is you

Do you have a passion that you can monetize? You can start small and build up your savings from starting a side hustle while still employed.

This will not only help you earn an extra coin but give you the confidence to take up a different career path as financial security will no longer be a major factor.

In conclusion,

Sometimes it takes another person to discover hidden talents in you. Many people receive a life transformation just from having a sitting with a professional coach. They could be a Career or a Self-Discovery coach. An experienced coach can help you discover your true inner self in relation to your career and since they have a lot of experience with different scenarios that are similar to yours, you can be sure they will have quite a number of strategies to share and at least one is bound to work for you.

You need not stay in that career you feel is not right for you. While the transition can be hard and uncertain, a career coach can guide you through self-discovery and help you come up with workable career strategies. Click here for more on Career Coaching Services in Kenya