MISSION: Venting About Work? Here's What You Can Do Instead:

How many times have you sat with your closest friends, venting about work, and dreaming about doing something different? But how often do those conversations actually lead to action? The truth is, most of us are great at talking about change, but terrible at holding ourselves, or each other, accountable.

How many conversations have you had where the same career frustrations come up over and over again?

Yet here you are, still in the same place, still stuck. At some point, these conversations become a sadistic version of Groundhog Day.

And it doesn't just affect you. It affects your friends too. You're all holding each other back.

Where would you be if you actually worked together to make those changes? Imagine having the impact of having someone who not only believed in your goals, but also pushed you to act on them.

In this episode, you're going to find out.

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To contact Steve directly, visit: https://www.nextstepcareers.nz/ 

Or email: [e-mail] 

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Topics:

Escape the 9 to 5 

Escape the 9-5 

Career Coach 

Career Advice 

Career Guidance 

Career Transition 

Career Change 

Next Step Careers Limited

Auckland Wellington Christchurch New Zealand

Episode Transcript

Shure MV7 (00:00):
How many times have you sat with your closest friends,
venting about work, and dreamingabout doing something different?
we should start a business together.
Imagine if we just quitand travelled for a year.
I wish I could leave this joband finally do what I love.
It's fun to dream, right?

(00:22):
But how often do those conversationsactually lead to action?
The truth is, most of us aregreat at talking about change,
but terrible at holding ourselves,or each other, accountable.
How many conversations have you hadwhere the same career frustrations

(00:43):
come up over and over again?
yet here you are, still in the same place,still in the same job, and so are they.
At some point, these conversations becomea sadistic version of Groundhog Day.
Another year with youboth in similar jobs.

(01:04):
complaining about the same things.
Making no progress in your lives.
without accountability,those dreams stay just that.
Dreams.
And it doesn't just affect you.
It affects your friends too.
You're all holding each other back.

(01:25):
Where would you be if you actuallyworked together to make those changes?
imagine the impact of having someonewho not only believed in your goals,
but also pushed you to act on them.
In this episode, you're going to find out.
You're a working professionalstuck in a 9 to 5 job.

(01:47):
You want more from your job.
More happiness.
More fulfilment.
More meaning.
And so do your friends.
As part of this podcast,you've signed up to a mission.
To share the philosophy of the show.
Escape the 9 to 5 isn't necessarily aboutchanging careers, although that may help.

(02:08):
It's about approaching yourcareer from a better perspective.
Every Saturday, we'll be talkingabout ways you can share this
philosophy with those around you,and how this can benefit you.
I'm career coach Dr Steve O'Leary,host and creator of Escape the 9 to 5.
I help other working professionals likeyou take the next steps in their career.

(02:31):
and design a career that works for them.
I'm going to share how supportingyour friends in their careers
can help you in your career.
The main message of this week, I hateto be grim, but I'm going to share
an uncomfortable truth yet again.
Life is short, and at some pointin the next 50 years or so,

(02:53):
you're probably going to die.
We're all headed for a hole in the ground,and as you're about to be pushed into
the grave, are you going to be happywith your life, or be filled with regret?
I love a good venting session.
Venting about my job, ventingabout my clients, and sometimes

(03:14):
even venting about my colleagues.
Who doesn't love going for amorning coffee or an afternoon
drink with a good friend.
And having a good old moan.
A moan about work.
A moan about your career.
A moan about the choices you've made.
And how things might have been different,if you'd chosen a different path.

(03:35):
But the truth is, thisdoesn't change anything.
And while it's therapeutic, you'renot really doing yourself or your
mates a favour by continuing toruminate over problems in your career.
This week's mission?
I've talked at length about how fine artour lives are, how we're all going to die

(03:57):
one day, and how acknowledging death isnot depressing, it's actually liberating.
Based on the age of the universe, if wewere to fit this into an annual calendar,
Homo sapiens existence on Earth wouldfit into the final minute of the final
hour of the final day of the year.

(04:20):
And your life would not encompassa full second of this calendar.
When you realise just how short andinsignificant your life is, hopefully
it will inspire you to take action.
Or maybe the opposite.
But how can you help your mates, andhow is this going to benefit you?

(04:42):
To help spread the Escape the 9 to5 movement, Something you can do
this week is create a shared bucketlist with your closest friends.
On Tuesday we talked abouta career bucket list.
A bucket list focused on the things you'dlike to achieve in your career, no matter
how audacious or seemingly unrealistic.

(05:03):
And if you've got some close friends ona similar wavelength to you, something
you can do is make this a joint activity.
Here's how you do it.
Pick two to three friends who youtrust and who are also looking
to make changes in their careers.
Sit down together, over a coffee, ameal, or even a few beers, and write

(05:26):
down your individual career bucket lists.
These are the goals you'vealways dreamed of achieving.
Challenge each other to shareat least one idea that is
seemingly crazy or unrealistic.
Even if you don't believe it yourself,it'll make for a more interesting
conversation, and you might besurprised by some of the ideas your

(05:46):
friends come up with to make yourdream sound a bit more realistic.
Next, find common ground.
You'll all have your own goals, but maybetwo of you want to start a side hustle.
Maybe all of you want more flexible hours.
And even if there's no direct overlap,chances are one of your friends will know

(06:08):
someone doing something similar to you.
As you finish the career bucket listsin the group needs to agree to at least
one tangible goal in the next 12 months.
Something that will be easyfor your mates to check in on.
Finally, hold each other accountable.
I'd suggest a monthly coffeedate or other regular check in to

(06:31):
update each other on your progress.
You're adding a small bit ofemotional pain, shame, guilt, to
ensure you actually walk the talk.
But rather than it being aburden, it's actually going
to make the journey more fun.
Even talking about this topic is makingme rethink my career bucket list.

(06:52):
And considering contacting a coupleof close mates to do the same task.
the simple act of knowing thatsomeone's going to ask you about
your progress is can be thenudge you need to stay on track.
Why do you do this?
When you work towards your goal asa group, you create a support system
that not only holds you accountable,but makes the journey more enjoyable.

(07:16):
You're not just building yourdream career, you're helping
your friends build theirs too.
And by living the escape the 9to 5 philosophy, you'll inspire
others around you to do the same.
Together, you'll create a strongerconnection with your close friends.
As you can find in yourdeepest career dreams.

(07:36):
And also have a bit of light competitionand banter as you see who actually
does what they say they were gonna do.
Rather than another whinge or moansession about your career, you might
start to make the changes you've beentalking about for years, together.
Finally, you could tell your friendsabout this podcast, and how it's helping

(07:57):
you take back control of your career.
Encourage them to join the movement.
Thanks for listening to Escape the 9 to 5.
I'm Dr.
Steve O'Reilly, your host, and thanksfor being part of our movement.
See you next time.