Are you having a tough time in your career? If the answer is yes, know that you are not alone.



Things are tough for most people. There are fewer jobs and more work for those that are employed. Workers are over-utilized and stretching themselves thin. It’s a bit crazy out there. Many people I talk to are tired and stressed out. Not ideal conditions to do your best.



But sometimes you have to ask yourself, “What is really holding me back?” Yes, for many, it’s the economy. For others, it’s their beliefs. Worries about the future and uncertainty over what will happen next. Who can blame you for holding back a bit?



But, what do you do when you are not where you want to be in your career? What do you do when you are unhappy? The “reasons” why you don’t have what you want may be valid, but are they getting you to where you want to go?



So, How Do You Not Let Your Career Excuses Get The Best Of You? Follow These 3 Steps Below.



1. Tell The Truth



You do not have what you want in your career. You can say an outside force distracted you, so it isn’t your fault. Or, you have been trying hard, and not getting anywhere. But are you any closer to your goal? Tell the truth about what has been in your way. Maybe you haven’t been ready to go after what you really want. Maybe you are afraid to try again. Maybe you are not sure which step to take next. The truth is you are uncertain about your future and uncertainly is understandable. But know that uncertainly also holds you back. You have a decision to make. You can let your fears about the future stop you or you can decide to move forward anyway.



2. Start Making Different Choices



Your career is a series of choices. Some are good and some are not so good. But either way, you are the person doing the choosing. At times it may feel like you have no choice, or someone else is making the choices for you, but the truth is you have more power over what you choose than you think you do.



If your career is not where you want it to be, it’s up to you to do something about it. The old cliché, “Good things come to those who wait,” hurts more than it helps. It gets you off the hook because you believe things will happen on their own over time. If you want something different, you have to do something different. This means making choices that are better for you.



3. Get Into Action



Maybe you don’t have what you want because you are not working towards it. You may say that you are taking action, but maybe you are really just going through the motions. Action brings results. Waiting until the right time to act does not. There is always a reason not to act. You are busy. You have other things to do. You are scared or worried that your actions will not make a difference anyway. Release this negative perspective and go after what you want. You will never know what the outcome will be until you try. Life is about falling down, and getting back up again. It’s your time to rise and shine.



So, what do you say? You only have one life to live, so it might as well be a life you love!