Mindset shifts that make bold career moves feel less scary

So you’re thinking about making a big change in your career.

You’ve been reflecting on it for months maybe even years, analysing all the negativities you want to leave behind.

And you’ve come to the logical conclusion that it’s time to change and move onto something better.

This is great! The idea of making a positive change in life always feels good, however the practicalities of actually making it happen don’t feel so good.

This is because following through with a big change means leaving the predictable safety of your current life and entering unknown territory.

And even though you’re getting beaten up by the frustrations of your current job, there is one redeeming factor about it…

It’s predictable.

You know that you won’t enjoy it but you will get through it. Because you’ve done it a thousand times before and here you are still going in, still getting paid and still with a roof over your head.

And your survival instincts don’t know any better than to keep you on this same familiar ‘safe’ path.

Because even though you’re getting a beat down, it’s a beat down that you expect and therefore it feels safer than the beat down you don’t see coming in the unknown.

This doesn’t have to be your reality.

You don’t have to let the devil you know completely destroy your life before you make the big move you’ve been thinking about.

If you want a better life now and want to feel safe and at ease with the transition then you have to change your mindset.

Fear isn't forever

Let me tell you about a client I worked with recently. She was ready for a change. She’d outgrown her job, she craved more purpose and freedom, and she’d even found a role that aligned with her values.

But she froze. Not because the opportunity wasn’t right, but because of one deeply held fear:

“What if I’m too slow? What if I can’t keep up?”

Her fear wasn’t about competence. It was about being seen to struggle. She believed that starting something new meant she had to be brilliant from day one, and anything less than that would be failure.

This is common among high achievers. We’re so used to being good at what we do, that stepping into the unknown feels threatening to our identity.

I shared an idea with her that brought instant relief. 

"You’re allowed to be incompetent at the start of something new…"

It was based on a mindset shift I often use in coaching which is a key theme in Susan Jeffers’ book Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway:

“If you knew you could handle anything that came your way, what would you possibly have to fear?”

I remember seeing the tension evaporate from her face as she smiled whilst realising, she could ‘handle’ incompetence. She could practice, she could get better, she could grow. There was no need for her to sit by idly in her comfort zone anymore.

Her fear was valid in this moment but it wouldn’t last forever because she had the power to resolve the source of her fear over time.

This is the difference between dreaming of a big change and taking action.

Just because doing something scares you today doesn’t mean it will continue to feel that way forever.

That conversation reminded me just how powerful a few simple mindset shifts can be. When we stop trying to eliminate fear and start learning to work with it, bold moves stop feeling like reckless leaps and start feeling like natural next steps.

Mindset shifts that turn fears into action

Fear: Losing social status

The desire to remain ‘at the top’ of your current career comes from the need for social status. It’s the false belief that other people’s perception of you is more important than being yourself and achieving your full potential.

In reality social status doesn’t make you better than any other human being. But it may make you feel like you have to behave that way. Its also an unreliable indicator of competence. Just look at Donald Trump!

Don’t let social status limit the ceiling of your potential. The top of where you are now is a far cry from the top of where you could be. The career you’re currently trapped in has lost its value to you. Any change you make towards a more valuable path is a success regardless of the appearance from outside perspectives.

Fear: Starting from scratch

Thinking that changing career means starting from the bottom will only make you feel depressed and stuck. You’re not starting over, you have a whole life of experience that doesn’t just become null and void when you pivot. All your years of learning, emotional intelligence, resilience and life perspective counts. Someone ten years into your “new” field might not have what you have.

You’re not a beginner, you’re a beginner at this specific thing, and that’s allowed.

Fear: Making the wrong decision

You don’t need a perfect plan because no one’s perfect. The most important thing is just having a direction to get to an area where you can continue to develop yourself whilst feeling positive about life. Career clarity builds through experimentation and reflection. You don’t have to choose ‘the right thing’ you just have to choose ‘something’. You learn by moving, not by sitting still. Any choice you make will bring you closer to what’s right.

Fear: Financial instability

You don’t have to choose between security and change. Career shifts can be gradual. You can test, plan, save and build as you go. Financial caution doesn’t mean you’re not brave, it means you’re building a bridge rather than taking a blind leap.

Fear: Disappointing others

Your life isn’t a group project. You’re allowed to make choices people don’t understand. Letting others down is painful, but abandoning yourself is worse. This is your one life. You get to create your own path of happiness.

Summary

Making a bold career move doesn’t mean being fearless. It means learning to act with your fear, not against it.

Fear is part of the deal when you’re growing. But it doesn’t have to be the thing that keeps you stuck. Once you understand and articulate the specific source of your fear, you can choose a mindset that helps you move forward anyway.

This is about you making a choice over what to do with your one life. Whatever it is that you feel is the right move is the right move for you.

With the right support, a strong sense of self, and a few mindset shifts like the ones we’ve explored, you can start creating a career that aligns with who you are now –

And overcome all the mental barriers that keep you stuck living the life of who you were before.

Stay Healthy,

Lewis

P.S

I help purpose-driven millennials flow into fulfilling careers by building confidence, clarity and momentum - one brave step at a time.

If you’re facing the prospect of a scary career move and would like some support then here's how I can help:

1) Book yourself a clarity call in The Empowerment Clinic.

It's my virtual coaching room where I run the Confident Career Change Coaching program to help you 'flow' into a career that truly fulfils you.

2) Check out ‘The Career Clarity Roadmap’, it’s a 5 day education email course I created to help you break free from career confusion by providing insights and thought exercises to gain clarity. Its everything that gave me the courage to leave medicine and create a career I love.

3) Join below to make sure you don't miss next weeks Lew's Letter.