If you are beginning to panic, thinking that your only choice is to completely change careers, relax. Change can take many forms, not all of them extreme. According to the poet T. S. Eliot, “People are only influenced in the direction in which they want to go, and influence consists largely in making them conscious of their wishes to proceed in that direction.” The point here is to get you to begin to think hard about exactly what it is that you want to do. You may believe you have no idea, but on some level you probably do know. Try to let go of preconceived notions and timeworn expectations about yourself. Sometimes you have to take a risk in order to grab an opportunity. Listen to your heart, back it up with honest self-assessment and good research, and be confident that you will make the right decisions. Remember, there are no quick fixes to career change. You've already invested considerable time, energy, and money getting to where you are today. Your future career satisfaction is worth some focused attention now.

Following are some of the potential changes you could make to your career. Each item on this list represents many, many possibilities, from taking classes to taking on more job responsibilities, from moving to a new position within the same company to moving across the country to start a job in a completely new discipline. You will discover what your possibilities are as you complete your self-assessment. This is your starting point.

Put a checkmark in front of the choice that makes the most sense to you and your situation right now.

Right now, I think I want to…

Revitalize my current job.

Make a change in the way I work.

Make an internal move where I am now.

Make a move to a new organization, location, or industry.

Make a complete career change.

After you complete the other tests in this book, you will revisit these same options to see if your thoughts about your career have changed. Now begin the process of discovering more about your values.