Should these tomatoes stay to ripen fully on the vine, or should they be picked right now?

Our career dilemmas can be quite similar, and I hear them often in my coaching practice.  High performers, by nature, wrestle with the fundamental dilemmas of: what-if and is-now-the-time?

Do these sound familiar: 

• Everyone knows me as an expert in X, but I want to do Y. (Remember, a tomato is a vegetable to some and a fruit to others.)

• I’m pretty content where I am right now.  Should I explore new job opportunities to test my market value?

• Should I stay in my current role hoping for promotion this year, or do I take the new interesting offer I just got?

• Should I take the offer I have right now, or wait for something more perfect to come along?

• Can I take a leave of absence without stunting my career?

• Do I need to stay in this function/industry where I’m an expert, or can I be relevant in other areas where I have an interest in growing?

• I don’t want to change companies, but that seems the fastest way to progress my responsibilities and pay.

These are fortunate problems that can be stressful and nagging. If you’d benefit from a career coach, contact me.  We’ll do a 30-minute, complimentary call to discuss your goals and assess the best coaching fit for you.

Your career is like a tomato.  You have to pick the right time.