Do you want to hear the truth about your career? Are you sure the answer is yes?

Many people come to me and they want to know what's wrong with their career. Why can't they get what they want event though they want it?

So, I listen to them. And, then I tell them the truth. I tell them what's not working and what they need to do to fix it.

Frequently, when I share the truth (as I see it), an interesting thing happens. They tell me why I am wrong.

So, it makes me wonder why they asked in the first place. Do they really want the truth?

The truth is a funny thing. We believe that we want it. But it can raise uncomfortable issues and feelings. Some people sincerely want to know the truth, but when confronted by it, they resist because they are not ready to hear it.

Are You Ready To Hear The Truth About Your Career? Here's 5 Ways To Tell If You Do:

1. You Are Stuck And Want To Find A Way To Get Unstuck.

You are very stuck; so stuck that you have no idea how to find a way out of your stuck-ness. This is the point in your career when you will be open to help and suggestions. This is also when you will let go of how you think things should go and be open to whatever is supposed to happen next. You will want to focus on solutions rather than resisting the cause of the problem.

2. You Are Tired Of Waiting For The Answers To Come To You.

You are ready to let go of being comfortable. You are also ready to let go of believing your career will get better on its own. This is when you are ready to reach out to others in a different way. Rather than relying solely on email, you will take the personal approach, using the phone and face-to-face contact. You will no longer wait for people to get back to you, and you will proactively seek assistance, guidance, and direction. You've realized that the answers will come once you stop waiting.

3. You Want To Reach Your Goals Now And Not Somewhere Down The Road.

When I ask clients when they want to reach their career goals, the reply I hear many times is somewhere down the road. They'll tell me 5 years or 10 years is when they'll get what they want. Then, I ask where that timeframe came from. They usually have no idea; it just sounded like a good number. When you decide you want to reach your goals now, "now" becomes your reality.

4. You Are Willing To Put In Both Time And Effort.

Action scares people. Action means you can no longer blame anyone or any circumstance for your situation. Action means you have to take full responsibility for your career. If you want to reach your goals, that won't happen unless you've made room in your schedule and mapped out specific steps to take. You can have what you want as long as you're organized and are willing to work for it. When you make the time to act on your career goals, that's when you will reach them.

5. You Are Ready To Stop Talking And Start Taking Listening.

I have been coaching for over 10 years. I found the courage to leave the corporate world and start my own business. How was I able to do it?
Someone told me the truth about my career and I listened. I may have been scared and uncertain when I heard this person's words, but I trusted the person who said them. I was ready to accept the truth, and I recognized the truth when I heard it. If you ask for an opinion, be ready to get one. And don't forget to thank the person who shared his/her views with you.

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