When you see colleagues being laid off it's hard. When you're being laid off it's even harder.
We’ve been in uncertain times for a few years now. Uncertain times coming from different angles: Covid, war, changes in our economic situation, inflation, …
More and more people are ‘feeling’ the pressure of all these uncertainties in one way or another.
The large amount of recent layoffs in the technology industry are just one example of this.
I’ve seen colleagues and friends go through it and it made me think about ‘change’.
Change can be good or bad, but usually we consider change as ‘bad’ when we didn’t 'choose' the change that is happening.
The thing is…
Nothing stays the same and change that we don’t choose, will always be a daunting experience. Sometimes even scary.
Unless…
Unless, you understand that it’s part of life and will happen anyway (no matter if you want it or not)...
Unless, you start seeing change as an opportunity for good things to come to you and not only bad things...
Unless, you take control of your situation in the moment...
This way of looking at ‘change’ will give you a totally different perspective to uncertain times and the changes it brings.
Easier said than done?
Try this…
- Give yourself a moment. Take the time you need to process everything that’s going on, and how it will affect you.
- Check in with yourself and think about what YOU want. "Are these changes leading me to the future I have in mind? Is this what I want, and if not, what ‘do’ I want?"
Once you’ve worked out what it is that you want for yourself and how you want your future to look like.
- Think about what you’re missing, this very moment, to get to the point that you want to reach.
- Write down ‘step-by-step’ what you need to do to get you there. Be as specific as you possibly can, and note the different action points necessary to get it done.
And this, this is your plan.
Don't worry, it’s not set in stone, you can (and will) adjust these steps according to changes coming towards you in the future, but it will move you forward today.
Why this 'action plan'?
As you know, ideas alone won't get you anywhere.
I would love to tell you that you can dream your way into a better situation, but you know that’ll never happen and that’s why these step-by-step actions, as small as they may be, they WILL bring you to the place you want to be.
This is how you can turn uncertain times into more ‘certain’. It gives you the chance to take control of your situation and give yourself a positive focus on how to move forward.
It doesn't matter if you’re an employee being affected by the economic situation, or if you’re a freelancer or business owner working hard to keep your business running, there will always be moments where things don’t work out in the way you thought they would.
In good or bad times, things will change and when things around you change in such a way that you find yourself in a situation that you don’t like, then don't let your head hang down.
If you don't let your circumstances define your future and you keep working on the steps that will lead you to your ‘ideal’ situation, you WILL get there.
If you feel a bit lost in how to do this, then just know YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Many people go through similar experiences.
- Talk to family or friends
- Reach out to your network and connect with people
- Subscribe to a podcast that shares relevant information that could help you
- Look for books that talk about what you want to achieve or what you're experiencing
- And most importantly, surround yourself with people that will support you and help you achieve your goals.
You’re never alone. You just have to decide what you want and take control of your 'changed' situation.
The rest will follow.
If you're a business owner or consultant and you feel that your sales is letting you down or is holding you back from creating the future that you want, then get in touch and we'll have a chat and see where I can help you.
A chat doesn’t cost anything, but can give you ideas to take action, so you can work out your step-by-step plan to reach your goals.