Anatomy of a career crisis

Ever feel like your work is meaningless and it's dragging you down? You're not alone. Just the other day, someone asked me a powerful question:

"I feel my work is meaningless, and I despair going to work. Just thinking about it, I'm getting depressed. What should I do?"

My answer?

Most people’s first instinct is to look for a quick fix... asking, "What should I do?" expecting an easy answer. It’s normal to want to get rid of the problem immediately...

But here's the hard truth: There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to a career and life crisis.

Solving a career crisis requires deep, introspective work.

It involves taking a hard look at yourself, and that can be terrifying...

We dread the chaos of turning our lives upside down—stepping out of secure roles and challenging assumptions about who we are...

At least what we have is secure and predictable, right? It’s one thing to be forced into change—like losing a job—but quite another to decide to change our lives.

Why?

·Fear of the Unknown: What will our family and friends think?

·Ego's Resistance: Our egos fear losing the roles we are currently playing.

·Fear of Failure: We're afraid of trying something new and failing.

Change is always scary.

Take, for example, one of my clients, Karen, who faced a career transition at 47. Initially, she brushed off a nagging feeling of dissatisfaction with her boss. She kept convincing herself that she could live with it, that it wasn’t so bad...

But then, one day, Karen woke up with a startling realization—she hated her job. The mere thought of going to work made her queasy. She found herself constantly angry and even lashed out at her family. This was no longer just mild career distress; it had escalated into a full-blown career crisis affecting her health and relationships.

My point?

Don’t disregard warning signals, it will be much harder to deal with this later.

Sometimes, complex psychological issues underlie a career crisis and you might not be able to unravel them alone. You might need help...

This week, I’m offering free consultations for people in such positions. If you think you might need help to gain insight, reframe the problem, and make critical decisions...

Book a discovery call here.

In the meantime, consider these questions to assess if you are suffering from career distress:

Your work feels meaningless.
That sinking feeling in your stomach every morning... is it dread? 😰

The thought of going to work in the morning makes you queasy.
If the idea of seeing your boss or co-workers gives you chills, it's a red flag. 🚩

You don't like your boss.
Tired of the constant micromanagement and lack of appreciation? 🙄

You don't like the people you're working with.
Do the office politics and toxic environment drain your energy? 🥱

You're bored, distracted, de-energized, or agitated.
When was the last time you felt excited about a project? 😴

You feel incompetent, inadequate, or like you’ve failed.
Do you often wonder if you're even good at what you do? 🤔

You don’t like talking about what you do.
Ashamed of your job? Do you avoid the "What do you do?" question at parties? 😓

You feel better on the weekends.
Living for the weekend is a clear sign something's wrong. ⏳

You think about choices you’ve made in the past.
Are you haunted by "what if" scenarios and regret? 😞

You feel that other people are happier than you.
Do you constantly compare your life to others and feel like you're missing out? 😕

You have a nagging sense that something is missing.
If you can't shake the feeling that you're meant for more, it's time to act. 🚀

If you’ve nodded your head to any of these signs, it’s time to take action. Don't wait for things to get worse. Make the change you deserve today. Book a call to discuss potential solutions.

Warmly,

Vanja