It’s time to start over and make a career change. Deep breath.

But where do you begin?

It’s so hard. First step is to wade through massive emotions, including:

Excitement.

Pure terror.

Overwhelm.

Liberation.

Once you have the emotions under control, you are ready to get serious about Step 2. But, what the heck is Step 2?

Before you start looking at job boards or begin the no-holds-barred networking effort, we at Gracefully Lead Me believe that the crucial, Step 2 is knowing exactly from where you are starting.

The exact, pinpointed location.

And that involves knowing yourself well. Very well.

Your natural wiring. Your strengths. Your loves. The things that make your skin crawl.

Without deeply understanding YOURSELF, how can you possibly know if a position will be a great fit?

It’s a bit like throwing darts at a dartboard with your eyes closed. And hoping you will hit the bullseye.

But unfortunately, hope is not a strategy.

Of course, there are no guarantees, but knowing what you truly desire and what makes you light up on the inside will certainly help guide your path.