Seeking Security Can Be Dangerous
October 23rd, 2006You have finished school, you’ve been out in the workforce for a few years or maybe more and finally you’ve landed the job of your dreams, or at least you think you have. After trying your hand at a number of alternative vocations or working for a few different employers you have a pretty good idea of what you need and what you want. This new job is not only secure, the boss is great as he or she lets you get on with doing your job without interference and most importantly it’s paying more money than you’ve ever made before. Finally you can seriously look towards getting the things you’ve always wanted.
Let’s jump forward in time and see exactly where this ideal job has placed you in life.
Years have passed and you’ve saved up some money or bought a house, perhaps you’ve gotten married, had kids or maybe you’ve gotten divorced, started seeing a new partner or maybe you’re single. One thing however is still a constant in your life. You are still working at the same, secure, well paying job. Maybe you are making even more money than when you first started but something else has also happened that you weren’t expecting and you have no idea what to do about it.
One day you woke up and realized you weren’t happy anymore and perhaps you haven’t been happy for a while. You don’t understand why, things seem to have been going ok, you really used to enjoy your job but as each day passes you become more and more miserable. You continue to battle away for months or even years but finally you know you have to make a decision. Do you stay and continue to live in your “secure” life of unhappiness or do you take a risk and move on. It’s a big decision to make and one that could affect the rest of your life but remember, unhappiness is unhappiness no matter which way you look at it and who wants to be unhappy?
This very scenario has happened to me on a few occasions but most recently a few years ago. On this particular occasion I felt confused about what to do but ultimately, deep down, I knew what I had to do. I had been in a secure managerial position for quite a few years and at first I really liked the job and was paid well for doing it. The money I earned while I was there allowed me to travel and get ahead financially but without warning and not due to any particular incident, I found myself wanting to be doing anything but my current job. After battling with the idea for a couple months I decided if I was going to leave, I was going to do what I really wanted to do and not just jump into another job I would eventually want to leave.
Once I set my intention to leave I felt so much better within myself that my plan of what to do and how to do it just evolved on its own. I began to visualize myself doing what it was I really wanted to do and let the universe guide me to take the right course of action. Within weeks I had a definite plan and a timeframe that felt right to me. Let me just add that I didn’t make any hasty decisions while I was feeling unhappy at my old job. I continued to work there until I knew exactly what I was going to do. It is very important to make big decisions with a clear head. If you make a spur of the moment decision when you are feeling low or when your vibrational level is on a downer, it will most often be the wrong decision. It’s best to let go of your worries, maybe take a few days off work and clear your mind and when you are feeling better the right path will be revealed to you. I believe in this method of planning or setting goals 100%.
I had been on holidays to Thailand to visit friends a couple times and I really enjoyed my time there and had often thought about living there but I had heard it can be quite difficult to get a job in Thailand and even harder to get a legal work permit. Still, I didn’t let fear stand in my way and I decided that that was what I was going to do. I had a fair bit of experience as a personal trainer and hoped I would find some work doing that as it was something I really enjoyed doing. Also I enrolled in an English teaching course which would enable me to teach English as a second language and I knew there were a lot of available positions for English teachers. This wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do but it gave me another option and the ability to stay in the country until I found what I was looking for.
With this intention firmly in my mind I finished my English teaching course and continued to work at my current job for about another six months. The whole time I visualized myself in Thailand living and working happily. I never let myself give in to thoughts of fear and worrying about what if things didn’t work out. I remained positive right up until the day I left and felt I had done the right thing when I was on the plane flying to my new home.
Before I left Australia I planned to have a one month holiday when I arrived in Thailand before I started work, this way I would get a much needed break and get a feel for living in Asia as living somewhere is different to simply being on holidays there. After about 3 weeks on holidays I decided I should at least make some effort in regards looking for a job and the very next day a friend of mine told me about a job in Bangkok for a Fitness Manager at a large sports club. I got in contact with the General Manager of the club and went for an interview on the following day. He told me he had interviewed dozens of potential candidates for the position over a period of 4 months but hadn’t found the right person for the job, which involved not only managing all the sporting facilities at the club but also working as the only foreign personal trainer to the many expatriate members of the club. At this point I knew this was the job I was looking for.
He called me two days after my interview and I started working there exactly one month after I arrived in Thailand. I knew I was right letting the universe unfold the correct path for me since my plan was to have a one month holiday before I began work and this plan fell into place to the day. I have been working there for almost two years now and am extremely happy with my job as I am doing what I want to do and still have plenty of free time to pursue my other interests. I have been able to travel extensively throughout South East Asia and start up this website writing about health, fitness, success and the many other topics that interest me. However, none of this would have happened if I had stayed at my previously “secure” job.
Obviously this example of mine on this occasion, things have worked out great for me but when I have been faced with similar decisions in the past when I’ve been in a job that was no longer satisfying I have always walked away and although things have not always worked out as well as they did when I moved to Thailand, every time I have chosen to walk away from what I thought was security, I have never looked back and never ever regretted my decision to move on. Things will always come good if you set your intention and focus your thoughts on what you want. Don’t be fearful of your decision to take a risk. Nobody would have ever achieved anything if we all settled for the feeling of security.
If you are feeling unhappy in your job or a relationship it is a sign to move on. It is only through seeking opportunity not security that you will ever feel content. Your feelings are the best guide you have for letting you know if you are on the right track. By trying to fight your feelings you tend to only end up making things worse and therefore feeling even more miserable. Don’t make hasty decisions especially if you are under pressure. Give yourself some time and work out what it is you really want to do. It’s not even necessary to think about all the steps to make your new plan a reality, just spend time imagining yourself doing what makes you happy and when you notice the opportunities arrive, take them.
What makes you happy for a certain period of time might give you a comfortable sense of security for a while but if and when unhappiness sets in, that’s a sure sign it’s time to start moving in a new direction. Security is not natural, everything evolves, including you and remember nothing stays the same forever.
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November 11th, 2006 at 10:52 pm
Seek opportunity, not security. That’s a great mantra! I may have to steal that one, if you don’t mind. I also agree that you should keep your current job only as a source of viable income until you’re sure of your decision and commitment to move on. Those that became successful by quitting “cold turkey” are few and far between.
-RY
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