There have been a lot of headlines lately about the “Great Resignation” of 2021. Many pundits have been pontificating about the root problems motivationg people to leave their jobs. Many may have forgotten that this resignation has been happening for years- especially in the sales profession. Studies show that upwards of 80% of sales reps miss their quotas every year and the average tenure of sales reps and sales managers is just under two years. So for those who have any experience in sales knows that this resignation isn’t unique to 2021.
I would add that those who have “resigned” are simply resigning to the fact that they haven’t truly found purpose in their career. Social media would lead you to believe it’s managers, leadership, lack of training, culture, etc. The list is endless really. What you don’t see are individuals taking responsiblity for wasting resources, time, company investments, overestimating their ability and abdicating their personal responsibility in growing their skills through personal development. So the question becomes; do you know how to find your purpose? If you posed that question to several people, the majority would likely answer no. There is a world of possibilities. People are afraid to try something new out of fear of the unknown. They often don’t know how to go about looking for what they should be doing.
First, ask yourself if what you are doing now is satisfying. Put aside the bills and your paycheck for a moment. Do you get a charge out of getting up every morning and going to work? How do you feel on Sunday evenings, assuming you start up work on Mondays? Do you dread having to get up in the morning on Monday, or does it excite you?
Another problem is you may feel stuck doing something in which you don’t believe in. While on the surface it may be the product or company vision- but when examined more closely it’s an easy narrative that absolves you from the fact that you simply don’t believe in your ability. There’s a lack of confidence, desire, and commitment. You need to ask yourself if you can continue to work in an environment which doesn’t fit well with you. It may not be that “sales” doesn’t fit you- it’s your approach in how you go about doing the work.
You will also need to ask yourself what will it take to make changes to get out of your current situation and into something you enjoy that aligns with your abilities. It may require going back to school or at least, training courses online. Luckily, there are several options available, and many of them are cheap or free.
If you find that the path is well laid out, ask yourself, are you willing to put in the time and make an effort? If not, you haven’t truly found your purpose. You either need to re-commit to what you are doing or find another path. Keep doing this until you are willing to put forth the effort. Not putting in the required effort only worsens your current psychological state, but it’s also limiting available resources for someone who’s looking for the opportunity that you’re currently in.
Finding and igniting your purpose may not mean “resigning”. You should explore your current situation and determine if you can change up your routine. For instance, ask your leadership if there are other opportunities within the organization that you can explore. If there are, they may ask you to serve two roles (your old position and your new one) while transitioning. Crosstraining roles gives you some options to explore your purpose while building new skillsets that could increase your value in the workplace.
Catalyst Consulting 