“When you hate your job, you have to do two jobs, right? The job you’re hired to do and the job you’ve given yourself – which is pretending that you like to be there.” ​

— Tracy Timm

Welcome back to the Steve Show! Today I’m with ​career clarity expert Tracy Timm to talk about breaking points – that trapped feeling of knowing that your work is draining the life out of you, but not knowing how to ​make your exit​. If you’ve been ​feeling discontent ​in your current situation, then Tracy’s story is going to inspire you about the amazing places that breaking points can lead us!

Tracy has navigated those same feelings – trapped, drained, and unsure how to escape the soul crushing (yet high paying) job she felt stuck in. After graduating Yale she found herself selling high yield and distressed credit debt on a trading floor – but that sweet six figure salary came with a price. The intensity of Wall Street’s toxic work environment pushed Tracy to her breaking point. The problem? She had to face major mindset hurdles to find her way out…and into the fulfilling, balanced career she always wanted.

Let’s look at the two major mental shifts that gave Tracy the confidence to craft her exit plan and choose her life…

Recognizing Your Breaking Point

Sometimes your breaking point isn’t so obvious. For Tracy, it was crying outside of a wedding reception at the mere thought of having to return to her job on Monday. For you, it might look a little different. She mentions to look for signs like leaning on alcohol or drugs, the quality of your relationships suffering, or others noticing that you don’t seem like yourself anymore. While finding yourself at your
breaking point is uncomfortable, it’s an essential first step. You can’t start moving forward ​until you put your foot down. ​ You need to decide that the reality you’re living isn’t acceptable any longer.

Conquering The Fears And ‘What-Ifs’

Tracy’s next step to freedom was shedding the programming that was preventing her from taking action. Society taught her that she should be content with her high-paying job and embrace her ‘success’. Her ‘lizard brain’s’ survival programming was clinging to security and rejecting the uncertainty of a new path.

That was, until she had a major realization. In her words, “the only way to get out of that fear based decision making pattern is to prove to your lizard brain that it’s safe out there … ​but the only way to prove that is to take action ​ .” If you’re discontent where you are in your career, you can find confidence in the realization that you’ll never regret doing something more than you’ll regret​ not ​ doing it. So look at your situation and ask, “what do I really have to lose?” Then take that leap of faith!

These two essential mental shifts are what guided Tracy out of her oppressive Wall Street job and into a fulfilling, fascinating, purpose-driven career as a career clarity coach. She now makes her living doing what she loves most – listening to people’s stories and helping them discover an exciting new path in life!
What kind of career future do you daydream about? What is holding you back from pursuing that purpose? Share them in the comments below and, if you have any questions, please post them on this thread. I read and respond to every comment! As always, until we meet again…