If you're one of those people who have this question running around their heads right now, trust me, you're not alone! Having worked in the recruitment and career coaching space for over a decade, feeling stuck is a normal part of your career journey. So, here are four quick tips to help you get started.

Hit the snooze button

Often, we do know what we want to do. We have just got used to telling ourselves that what we desire is not for us or we're not capable of achieving it or are not worth having it. Hit the snooze button on the imposter in your head and allow yourself a moment to dream.

Take yourself somewhere quiet, with a pen, piece of paper. Turn your phone off, no children, flatmates, partner or friends. In your quiet place, close your eyes, and ask yourself the question; "If I woke up tomorrow in a career, I enjoyed what would I be doing and how would I feel?" Allow yourself to live in the world you see. Take in everything from the people around you, the sounds, the colours, what you're wearing, doing and more importantly, how your world makes you feel.

After five minutes (or longer) open your eyes and without hesitation and ignoring any of the "what ifs" or "you don't haves..." that may invade your mind, write what you saw.

Then ask other questions; am I working part-time or full-time, local or international, company/industry? Employed or self-employed, a large or small company, who am I working with? Who is my audience/customers? The more you dig, the more gold you'll find.

If you struggle with answering the question, ask yourself "what do I not want to be doing?" Make a list of the pros and cons of your past role(s) including whether you liked the office, the perks – the little things matter too. Knowing what you don't want is half the battle.

Visualisation is a powerful exercise to unlock your subconscious mind. It will allow you to see beyond where you are now and helps to build your internal motivation to take the necessary actions to achieve your desires.

Create a vision board

Now you have identified what you desire; it's time to select images that represent those desires and create a vision board (aka dream board). This fun and straightforward process is a powerful visual of what you're aiming to achieve.

You can use a cork board, Pinterest, or a sheet of A3 paper. It's up to you.

Essentially, what you want to do is fill it with images, scriptures, motivational quotes, that reflect what you saw in the visualisation exercise. For example, you might include the salary you want to earn, the city you wish to work in, the job title etc.

Some choose to formulate their vision into a statement written in first person narration speaking as if they are already living their dream career. That's fine too. Just place it somewhere you will see it daily to remind you of where you're headed and keep you focused. 

As Corrie Ten Boom says: 'always live according to your vision, not according to your eyes'.  In short, the things you see daily are temporary, keep focused on the end game.

Set SMART Goals

SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time based. Saying for example, "I want to become an influencer on social media" is too broad. 

A SMART goal is more precise:

By 2nd May 2020, I will be a well-known social media influencer in Health & Fitness for women. I will achieve this through the creation of a YouTube channel where I will produce four videos each month, as well as publish one article per week on my website. I will acquire the services of a freelance social media expert to curate content for my Instagram and Twitter platforms and research four brand partnerships to increase my profile. This will reinforce my 10+ years of experience in the field and allow me to help more individuals develop healthier bodies and minds, which in turn makes me feel fulfilled.

Face the fear and do it anyway

One of the common reason people stay stuck in careers they don't like is because of fear – whether that's fear of the unknown, of failure, lack of opportunity, being able to cope financially. To quote Nelson Mandela, "the brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who overcomes that fear." Diarise one action each day that challenges your fears. It could be as small as making that sales call or booking an appointment with your boss to discuss a promotion. The more you practice daily acts of courage, the less afraid of fear you will be.

Arit Eminue, a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, business and career coach

Arit Eminue is passionate about helping individuals to and take ownership of their careers through employment, entrepreneurship or a mixture of both. Arit designed Power Up! a free four week programme designed to help individuals to Power Up! and create a life and career that fulfils and excites them. The course mixes career coaching with accredited diploma units.

Connect with Arit on Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn using the handle @AritEminue.