You walk into your workplace one day only to have your superior call you in for an early meeting. A straight-faced human resources manager informs you of your permanent dismissal… and for moment, your life seems to pause.
For a long while, nothing around you matters—nothing but the fact that you just faced a major challenge in your professional life.
Here’s the thing: while it is hard to imagine, getting fired could be a blessing in disguise.
This setback and its consequences should not be able to keep you from looking forward to a new, prosperous stage in your life.
The question is, how do you extract positives out of such a negative situation?
Take a look at some reasons why getting fire can be actually great for you:
You were not thriving in your previous job
Once you have had the time to sit back and shift some of your focus away from the distress, you may realize that your job was doing nothing to build your skills and experience.
Being stuck in a rut kills creativity, which in turn kills enthusiasm, which leads to struggling to keep up with job expectations.
If you are someone who needs change, who needs evolution in their workplace, then not only was your previous job insufficient for you, but a new job can actually satisfy your innovative side.
The sacking was a result of burnout-induced performance failure
The work demand was overwhelming you. Stress has an adverse effect on productivity, as constant pressure leads to people losing interest in their work.
The anxiety, lack of enthusiasm and over-the-top expectations result in burnout.
If that was the case with you, then you are likely better off away from your former environment. Not only do you have the flexibility to choose more suitable work hours, but a chance to avoid potential health losses…
The job was deteriorating your health
Remember that recurring headache, the one that would not be willed away by vast amounts of herbal tea or coffee? Or how about the constant backache you had due to long, uninterrupted hours from an un-ergonomic office desk?
Add in the constant work stress and you have the prime ingredients of a complete breakdown. According to WebMD, stress alone is a dominating factor in major cardiac and respiratory issues.
That being said, if your previous job had you clutching your head after work and making too many visits to your local pharmacy, then getting fired was a huge favor in the long run.
Accepting change in your professional life can be smoother once you realize that a certain setback has its benefits.
As a corporate keynote speaker, Scott Burrows incorporates that very lesson into his speeches on change. With insights in his own challenging life, and from working with thousands of leading professionals, he can help motivate you in the face of professional hurdles.
Preview some of his presentation videos here.