How did you get to where you are in your career? Was it a haphazard, disconnected journey, or by a detailed plan that you have followed step-by-step? Or, maybe something in between? No matter how you got to where you are today, you have followed a path whether you have chosen it or not. Are you happy with your present situation? If yes, good for you. If not, what needs to be changed? You have more control over the direction of your career than you think. And, you can alter the course of your career no matter where you are, what you are doing, or how many bills you have to pay. Once you decide that you want your path to be different, and you choose to do something about it, you can begin taking steps in that direction. So, How Do You Get Yourself Moving In A Different Direction? Follow These Three Steps Below: 1. You Create A Vision All of life's journeys begin with the phrase, "I want." Think about your career and the times when you said "I want." Maybe you said "I want" go to college--and then enrolled in school and completed your degree. Maybe you said "I want" to work for a large or a small company--and you are working there now. Maybe you said "I want" to lead teams--and today, you are a leader. "I want" is a very powerful phrase. Without it, it's hard to go very far. Imagine going on a trip without selecting a destination beforehand. What would you pack? How would you get there? Where would you stay? Your trip probably would not end up being much fun. It's the same with your career. Not being able to visualize your desired result leads to results that don't happen. Goals are reached when you decide what you want, and then take action to get it. Without an end in mind, you will wander aimlessly; and as long as you are aimless, you will be wasting time. You will feel lost. You will be like a stray leaf, going wherever the wind takes you. If your goal is a new and focused path for your career, then it is important to create a picture in your mind of what this will look like. 2. You Overcome Fear What is fear? Fear is an emotion experienced in anticipation of a specific pain or danger. Simply put, when you fear the worst, you stay stuck and you don't take action. Fear is normal. We all feel fear at certain points in our lives. But when fear prevents you from being happy in your career, then it's time to get fear out of the way. You won't wake up one day and not be afraid anymore. Your fear won't suddenly disappear on its own. It's going to take work. Still, you can have what you want; you'll just have to go after it while being afraid. Dealing with fear head on usually dilutes the strong hold that keeps fear alive. As scary as this may seem, facing your fears is the secret to getting past them. 3 You Update Your Skills As the workplace changes, so does your need to change with it. Where is your industry going? Where is your company going? Are you prepared to go with it? Learning can be fun and inspiring. A course here and there could increase both your ability and confidence level. Learning something new keeps inspiration and passion alive. When you are working towards something different, you have focus, direction, and a reason to get out of bed in the morning. So, what do you say? You only have one life to live, so it might as well be a life you love!