5 Tips To Pivot Your Career and Your Life

What is it about the new area that interests and excites you? So beyond the fact that somebody's job might look cool and glamorous, get down into the nitty gritty, have these conversations and answer those questions for yourself. What is it about the new area that interests and excites you? And this is where knowing your core values comes in really helpful and acts as a filter because you can run this new idea, this potential new position through your value filter. Does it tick the boxes? Does it align? Does it match up to where it is you want to go to the life that you want to live? You're listening to the Trickle C Project. Welcome to the Triple CE Project, the podcast that helps you gain clarity, boost confidence, build courage so you can live life lit. I'm your host, Ryan Spence, the big lord, dropout, life coach, author, speaker, lover of hoodies, hip hop and big hairy, audacious goals. If you're tired of living the life you think you should want and ready to start living the life you want, this podcast will help you get from where you are to where you really want to be. So now with friends, I invite you to grab a drink, take a seat, and allow me to guide you towards living a life that's lit. Hey. Hey. Welcome to episode, episode 60 of the Triple C Project. This is the episode that almost wasn't for the first time in, well, 60 episodes. I almost didn't put an episode out this week because I'm feeling tired. I've just got this, this change of seasons here in the uk or it should be, but it's actually freezing. It's just kind of brought along this kind of semi cold type flu Y type thing. Nothing serious, but enough to kind of slow me down and make me feel exhausted. So I thought I could not put an episode out this week. But the thing is, I love doing these episodes and I have a lot to say and I have a lot to share. So actually this energizes me. Even though beforehand I was sad and I was like feeling really tired, actually getting up and doing this energizes me because starting something is where that energy comes from. If I was just trying to motivate myself to get up because I have to do this, I probably wouldn't have done it. But this is kind of what I share with my clients and try to share with you is that if you connect what you're going to do, what you want to do to something bigger than yourself, that's what's going to get you up off your ass to actually do it. Not feeling you have to motivate yourself. Not because somebody else said you should, not because some personal development guru said this is what you need to do to be successful. So I wanted to share that, that I'm here, I'm sharing, and I'm happy to be here. It's probably going to be a shorter episode than usual, though, because all I have to share with you this week is five tips. I've been speaking to a few people lately who are wanting to make career pivots. Some of them are my clients and some of them are people that I connect with in online communities like Fishbowl or Reddit. And there is this thing that people have this kind of block where they know they don't really want to do exactly what they're doing now, but they want to either do something completely different or they want to do something that's a bit of a spin off from it, but there's a block as to whether or not they can do that. And that block then leads to frustration and angst, which leads to them just spinning their wheels and not really doing anything meaningful. They might apply for the odd job here or there, speak to the odd recruiter here or there, but there's no real plan, no method, no vision to what they're doing. And so therefore they don't see the results. And that leads to them feeling disheartened and deflated, and that leads to this despair, which leads to them not doing much more than they already are doing. And what they already are doing isn't giving them results. It's a long winded way of getting to that. And so what I've been sharing with some of these people is just five simple things that they can do to kind of bring some coherency. I think that's a word to, to what it is that they're doing to their career pivot. Because not everybody wants to burn everything down and ride off into the sunset, start a business, become a yoga teacher, whatever it may be. But there are lots of people who don't really want to do what they're doing now, whether it's that particular organization that they work for, that environment that they're in that they hate, or the actual job itself. But they want to do something that's kind of related but a little bit more interesting to them, that's a little bit more aligned with where it is they see themselves going, how they see themselves living. So in this episode, I just thought I'd share those five tips here as well. I mean, the more that these can get out into the world, the more that I hope that they can help people. They can help you start to look at your pivot job search, whatever it may be, in a slightly different way, a way that is more helpful and more productive to you. So that's what this episode is. My five tips to the career pivot or my five tips to starting to carve your lit life. So without no further ado, let's do this. Here we go. So tip number one will be no surprise if you've listened to this podcast, or heard me on another podcast, or read any of my content or read my book. The first one Clarity get clear on why you want to pivot. So you may have seen somebody doing a particular job that you think that looks quite cool. You may have heard of an opportunity that sounds quite cool, something you've never thought of before, but instead of jumping in head first because it looks nice and shiny, because let's be fair, anything is going to look nice and shiny from the position you're at if you hate where you're at, right? So you don't want to kind of jump from something you hate into something that looks great and looks shiny, but you haven't bothered to figure out you. You haven't bothered to get clear on why you're. Why you're wanting to move. So get clear on why you want to pivot. And if you identify a new area that looks kind of interesting, ask yourself, what is it about the new area that interests and excites you? So beyond the fact that somebody's job might look cool and glamorous, get down into the nitty gritty, have those conversations and answer those questions for yourself. What is it about the new area that interests and excites you? And this is where knowing your core values comes in really helpful and acts as a filter. Because you can run this new idea, this potential new position through your value filter. Does it tick the boxes? Does it align? Does it match up to where it is you want to go to, the life that you want to live? So that would be my first tip is get clear on, first of all on the why? Is it because you hate your job? Is it because you hate your boss? Is it because you just don't enjoy the job anymore? Millions of reasons. Get them all down so that you can see this is, this is what's pushing me. So that when you maybe have a good day at the office and you think, oh, maybe I could just stay, it's easier. You've got that list to look at and be like, no, this is why I want to go. So get clear on why you want to switch and then ask yourself, what is it about the new area that interests and excites you? And again, list those down as well. I find even though I'm somebody who is notorious for not writing things down and wanting to carry things in my head, when I do get things down on paper, just being able to look at that just makes a huge difference to how I process that information. Okay, that was number one. Number two, list out all the skills that you currently have that could be applied to the potential new area. So what have you already done? And again, if you've listened to me for any time, you may see that there's a parallel here with my question of where's the evidence in relation to confidence? This is about looking at what you've already done and what you already have. You can be quick to dismiss the fact that you don't have the skills to do this new cool looking job that you've seen, but actually it's unlikely that that's going to be true. I mean, yes, there are certain things. If you're a lawyer and you want to be a doctor, you don't have a medical degree, that's going to be a sticking point. You can go ahead and do it, but it's actually going to be something that diverts you. I mean, you have to go off piece and then come back to it. That makes sense. But there are plenty of other roles where a lot of the things that you already have as a lawyer in big law or as a corporate professional are transferable. That could be things like attention to detail. If that's a trait of yours, not really one of mine. The ability to focus, the ability to distill large amounts of information into manageable chunks for other people to understand, the ability to stand up and speak publicly, the ability to share information, the ability to manage projects. There are lots of skills you will already have in whatever you're doing now that once you sit down and list them and think about it would apply to the thing you're looking to pivot to. So it may not be as big a stretch as you think it is. And also what this exercise does is it shows you quite clearly where the gaps are. And you may find that the gaps are smaller than you think. And so you can then spend time that you have now on trying to fill those gaps, getting those additional skills, doing the additional reading or study, or having the conversations that you need in order to Fill those gaps that make you then a viable candidate for, for the role that you're trying to pivot into. And if you're not sure exactly what skills are required, I mean, we live in an age where it's very easy to find these things out. Just try searching for people who are already working in that area and see what they say about their job. How do they describe their day? So many people share so much about their lives on social media these days that you, you can just find those people and start to look at the things that they say, what they talk about, listen to podcasts that they've been on and build your Paint yourself a picture of what this potential pivot looks like. And also that's going to give you more information as to whether that is actually the right pivot for you. Because it can look shiny from the outside, a little bit like Big Law for me. But once you're in may not be exactly what you hoped it would be or thought it would be. So this has that other aspect to it as well. So number two, list out the skills you currently have and look at how they can be applied to the new area. Okay. Number three, make connections. Again, this has parallels to what I said before about building your squad. Make connections. A lot of the things that I have done post Big Law have come about through connections. I've met somebody who's introduced me to somebody else or who's connected me with somebody else. And these connections actually really powerful. They help you to kind of forge some sort of community. And when things aren't, particularly when things aren't going great, it's sometimes helpful just to have that community to lean on, even if you're not having a conversation with them, just to be able to sort of see what they're doing and how they're progressing. And that can then inspire you as well. That and remind you that it is possible for you because they've done it. Why can't you? And what I'd say about making connections is schedule time. Don't say, oh yeah, I'm going to make a load of connections because you won't do it. Schedule time each day to search for and connect with people who are doing what it is that you want to do. And this isn't about being transactional in the whole quote unquote, network type of way. It's about making genuine connections. Don't just dive in and say, I really want to do your job. Tell me all about it, you know, but find some common ground. Find some things that interest you in their content, in what they're sharing, and then try to just make that connection organically. I've had plenty of people reach out to me, lawyers who want to leave law or coaches who are new to the coaching world, who like my content, who've engaged, who've connected and maybe have had a coffee chat. And I'm always very willing and open to share my experience, share what worked, share what pitfalls I foresaw, and try to help them not have the same. And also tell people what it's really like to do what it is that I'm doing. Because again, it can look quite glamorous and shiny from the outside, but there's a lot underneath the hood that other people don't see. So if you're making these genuine connections, you will get that insider track. But more importantly than that, you're building your squad. And I can't stress how important it is to have that squad that supports you. Because when you're trying to do something different, when you're looking to change the way that you're living, it isn't always the people that know you as you are now that are going to support you in the person you want to become. It's a hard truth to accept, and it was a hard one for me, but it's just the reality. And the sooner that you accept that and you look externally and build your new squad, who are going to support the new you, then the easier or the less painful that journey is going to be. So, three, make connections, but make meaningful, genuine connections. Don't pitch slap anyone, don't dive straight in with the ask. Don't be transactional about it. And that leads me to number four, treat your career pivot like a project. So, you know, work when you have a project, there's a way that you manage that everyone, different people have different parts to do. There's a whole process and you kind of know what you need to do at any given time, what the milestones are where you need to be by a certain point. So I invite you to apply that same process to your life and specifically in the context of this episode, to your pivot. So what does it, what I mean by that, what does that look like? Well, the first thing I like to have clients do is give it a project name. So particularly in big law, maybe if you're in corporate as well, you know, the deals always have a project name. Sometimes quite funny, sometimes a little bit dull. But this is your project, so call it whatever you like. So give it a project name that makes it real. Then schedule time daily to work on it, to work on your project just like you would in the workplace. Do the same thing for you. It doesn't matter if you don't have hours. No one has hours a day. But carve out 15 minutes if that's all that you can do. Where can you find 15 minutes in your day? And mark that in your calendar as time to work on Project X. Do it. But then when you've done that, commit, commit to that time like you would if somebody in the office just dumped a meeting into your calendar. This is a meeting for you. And this is actually probably one of the most important meetings you will have every day while you're doing this, because it's a meeting that's allowing you to change your life from something that you don't want to something that you do want. So this is your project for you, so you have to commit to it. That's the energy you've got to be giving to this project. And then like I said in point three, start collating a list of specific people that can support you. So this is slightly different to the make connections. Because when I talk about making connections, generally that could be people who you don't know. And what I'm talking about here is it can be those people, but I'm also talking about looking in the circle that you already have. Who do you already know that can support you? And that can be people who are either doing the thing you want to do or maybe no, people who are doing the things you want to do. Or maybe they just people who just hype you up, who just inspire you, who, when you see them, they uplift your spirits. Because when you're having those days when you feel that nothing's working and nothing's getting off the ground, or you don't quite see where you're going to head to next, or the person you reached out to to make a connection didn't respond to you and you're feeling a little bit deflated. You need people around you who are going to lift you up, who are going to give that support. So within this project, start collating that those people. And be specific. Don't just say, yeah, I'm going to get five or 10 people who are going to hype me up. Name those people. So this is your opportunity to really think about who's already in your orbit and think about the ones who are really going to be in a position to support you here and get them down and in your project daily. When you're scheduling this time, maybe one of your things each week could be to just reach out to one of those people or to catch up for a coffee, to kind of get that, get that buzz, get that hype, or to have a drink or to have dinner, it doesn't really matter. But I want to encourage you to keep those connections, keep building that support both of people you know really well and also the people that you would like to get to know. So that as you're progressing, as you're progressing through this project, you're building this orbit around you, your squad of people that are going to support you. And the final tip for the day, tip number five. Start to see yourself as someone who's already doing the thing. So where you are now isn't where you want to be. But if you get up every day and lament the fact that where you are now isn't where you want to be, and you carry yourself as that person who is not where they want to be, then that's kind of what's going to happen. You're going to implement the habits of that person, the person that's got you to where you are now, but not the person who's going to get you to where you want to be. But if you start seeing yourself as somebody who's already doing the thing, just notice how that shifts your energy. So what do I mean by that? Well, I want you to think about what does this person do, this new version of you, who's doing this thing that you really want to do? How do they spend their time? What time do they get up? What's their morning like? Do they work out in the morning? Do they have breakfast with their family? Do they meditate? What do they have for breakfast? Do they go into an office? How do they go into an office? How do they commute? What do they do on that commute? Do they go to the gym at lunchtime? Do they hang out with friends? Do they go for dinner? Do they lunch at their desk? Start to really build a picture as to how they spend their time and how do they feel on a day to day basis. What kind of things light them up, what kind of things drain them and create this image basically of you, of you 2.0, if you like, and embody that, start to think about how you can start to embody that. And this isn't an overnight thing, it takes time. But it can be as simple as thinking, okay, this person, this, this new me, the one that's already doing the thing, they meditate Every morning they get up and the first thing they do is meditate every morning. So maybe that's the first thing that you do and you get up and that's the thing that you do, five minutes for 10 minutes. That's your process of embodying. And you start to do that until it becomes a habit, it just becomes who you are. And then maybe you then layer something else onto that. Maybe that particular person goes to yoga two or three times a week at this particular time, at this particular studio. And so you start to do that, you put that in the diary. And again every time that just becomes who you are. And slowly what you're doing is you're shifting your perception, your self concept of who you are, but not only for yourself, but also for the people around you. Because once you start to embody this person, this new you, this you that you want to be, people are going to can't help but notice the changes within you. Maybe they see that you're a little bit more calm and less easy to anger because you've been meditating daily. Maybe they see that your posture's better and that you're eating healthier and that you generally just more compassionate and intentional because you've been practicing yoga on a regular basis. And those changes allow them to see you differently. And it may then inspire them to start to think about how they can do things a bit differently in their own life. And it creates this ripple effect. I love talking about the ripple effect because that is a large part of what I do is by me affecting one person. They affect people around them, who affect people around them. And so it isn't just about the person who's immediately in front of you. Just like it isn't just about you changing you, it's about you changing you for the better so that you are more comfortable within yourself and within who you are and love yourself. And therefore that then radiates out to the people around you and may inspire them to also do the same. So that's the five tips for a career pivot. But isn't just for a career pivot, it can be for any change you want to make in your life. I think that these are valuable and appropriate across the board. So just to recap, number one, get clear on why you want to switch, why you want to do the thing. Ask yourself what is it about the area that interests and excites you? Number two, list out the skills you currently have that could be applied to the thing. Don't just focus on what you don't have. Look at all the things that you do have that could be transferred. And then if there are any gaps, look at how you can fill in the gaps. Number three, make connections. Schedule time to make connections with people, genuine connections that are going to fill you up and potentially help you on your journey. Maybe not directly, but it could be indirectly. Number four, Treat your career pivot like a project. So this should be a project. This should be something that is somewhere that on your wall or in a calendar or an online planner. Somewhere that you're looking at every day. Project X. Okay, what do I need to do for Project X today? Maybe there's a person I want to send an email to or follow up on an email with. Maybe there's somebody I want to catch up with for coffee. Maybe there's a particular recruiter I need to speak to or there's a little bit of research I want to do. But schedule that time. And if it's only 5, 10, 15 minutes, fine. It's better to do 5 or 10 or 15 minutes each day than try to do an hour every couple of weeks and maybe miss the mark. And five Start to see yourself as that person. Build that self concept. Start small and build up over time. The more you see yourself as the person doing the thing, the more likely you will be to do the the thing. So there you go. My five tips. I hope that that's been helpful to you if you're in that process of thinking about a switch, whether that is to a new job in the same industry, a completely new field, starting your own business, jetting off around the world, whatever it may be. I hope that these five tips are helpful to you and get you sort of thinking in a different way, in a way that is going to allow you to move forward in a more consistent manner and therefore in a quicker, faster way towards getting to where it is that you want to get to. As always, thank you for being here. I'm glad that I managed to get through without sneezing because it's been a really difficult week for that and I'm glad that I could get this episode out to you this week. As always, you can hit me up on Instagram @IM Ryan Spence or over on LinkedIn. Just find me Ryan Spence. Send me an email. Hey@I am Ryan Spence.com tell me what you loved about the episode. Tell me which of these tips was particularly insightful to you, got you thinking about things differently, because that's really the essence of why I'm here, to get you thinking differently. About who you are and what your life could be so you can see possibilities for you that maybe you couldn't see before. Thanks as always for being here. Go to the Show Notes to get all the links to contact me to the book, my Triple C Method to Triple C 101. The mini course, whatever it is you're looking for. It's all in there. And I will catch you next week for another episode of the Triple C Project. Until then, stop living a life of lethargy. Start living life. Thanks for tuning in. But before you go, the weight of limiting beliefs is heavy. It literally weighs you down and keeps you you stuck in that life of lethargy. I know. It's why I stayed in Big Law for so long. And it's why so many of my clients don't believe they can do the things that they want to do. But what causes those limiting beliefs? It's a lack of confidence. Lack of confidence in the belief that you can do the things that you want to do. And I got something for that. It's my Confidence journal. It's six journal prompts that I created that I've used to help me get from where I am to where I want to be. To help to give me the belief to do the things that seem outside of my control. Outside of what I can do. If this sounds like you, you need to get your hands on the journal. Best thing about it, it's free. All you have to do is head to iamrinespence.com hit the button for Confidence Journal and get your copy today. It's going to help you start to reframe your thoughts and get you thinking about what you can do instead of focusing on what you can't do and shed that load of limiting beliefs that you don't need to be carrying. See you again next week. And until that time, stop living a life of lethargy and start living life lit.