Taking a Career Risk – What is the Worst Thing That Could Happen?

Taking a Career Risk – What is the Worst Thing That Could Happen?

I am fortunate in that I love my job. I work for an excellent company, have a supervisor I appreciate, am afforded a significant amount of independence because I am good at what I do, and exist in a comfortable niche.  There is a strong temptation for me to wallow in the status quo and aspire to my ultimate career goal which is to remain employed until I’m ready not to be.

However, my years in Al-Anon, my study of yoga and spiritual growth using other tools in my toolbox of personal development have caused me to understand that continued growth is essential to living life to its fullest.  I’ve learned to live one day at a time, to not borrow trouble, and to accept life on life’s terms; but I’ve also learned that to fulfill my full potential I need to risk an assault on my ego.

My boss called me today to let me know there was a job posted that would fully utilize my particular skills. It would be a promotion. From my perspective, it is what I’ve aspired to for many years. Other qualified candidates, including a friend, will apply. While I believe I am the best candidate for the job, the powers that be may disagree. And that is something over which I have no control. And I am prepared to accept that whatever will be will be.

So my choices include either taking the plunge and accepting a risk of rejection or accepting the status quo.  But there is also a potential of being offered a dream job that I’ve worked very hard to achieve, accepting the challenges of something new and spreading my wings, and accepting the possibility of success.  Both results offer personal challenges that will afford me an opportunity for growth.

The person that existed before my years in recovery and my spiritual awakening would have feared the results before even taking a chance on posting for the position - just as I used to worry about finding a parking space at National Airport for a Thanksgiving flight in September. I wasted a considerable amount of time and energy worrying about things that never happened. But I’ve learned that ultimately, I have no control over decisions made by others.  I will accept the risk, because without risk there is no reward. And I will rely upon the tools that I’ve learned through my programs to give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change – or to graciously accept a success. One day at a time. The greatest lesson I’ve learned.