If you compared you career to the Wizard of Oz, would you be at the start of the path, where the Lion lacked courage, the Tin Man had no heart, and the Scarecrow had no brain? Would you be Dorothy when she was moving forward to find her way back home or Dorothy in the beginning of the movie when she was afraid because the wicked witch was chasing her?

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	Your career can improve once you decide to improve it.

What's happening to you in your career? Is your job being eliminated? Is your company merging or reorganizing? Are you on your third, fourth, or fifth boss, and don't know what is expected of you anymore?

Sometimes we can feel powerless in our careers. The circumstances around us are changing, and we don't believe we have a say in how things go. But you know what? Maybe you do have a say. Maybe you have more control over your circumstances than you think you do. Maybe you have the ability to map out the course your career will take, as well as the power and energy to complete the journey.

Where will this power come from? It can only come from you. So, how do you create a powerful career? Follow the three steps below.

1. Assess Your Situation

Maybe what you are experiencing in your career currently is not as bad as you think. Then again, maybe it's worse. Either way, you will not know what you are dealing with until you can objectively look at what's happening to you and around you. Take out a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. (You can also use an Excel spreadsheet.) In the left-hand column, list the pros of your current situation, and in the right-hand column, list the cons. Which list is longer?

Take out another sheet of paper so you can assess how bad the cons really are. Draw a line down the middle. In the left-hand column, list what you can change, and in the right-hand column, list what you cannot. Which list is longer?

You are looking for an objective view of your situation, a new perspective. Feelings without facts can do you a disservice. Getting your thoughts out of your head and down on paper will give you the ability to see your situation in a whole new way.

2. Decide to Change Your Situation

Your career can improve once you decide to improve it. You'd be surprised by the number of people I speak to who are waiting for unfulfilling situations to magically get better on their own. These individuals play a waiting game hoping to be victorious. Sometimes this strategy works, but most of the time it does not, and they are left tired, confused, and disappointed in themselves because they failed to act.

I understand that change is not easy. Trust me, though, when I say that working in a bad environment is much harder than taking steps to improve it.

Deborah Brown-Volkman is the president of Surpass Your Dreams, Inc.

3. Get Your Power Back

Once you know a situation is no longer working and you have decided to change it, it's time to become powerful. Power comes through movement. When you are moving forward, you are energized. You are on the court playing rather than sitting on the sidelines. You have your to-do list and you are checking off the items one by one. You have focus and direction. You are implementing your plan. Excuses and fear no longer deter you. You feel different because you are different. You have your power back.

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

About the Author

Deborah Brown-Volkman is the president of Surpass Your Dreams, Inc., a successful career, life, and mentor coaching company that works with Senior Executives, Vice Presidents, and Managers who are looking for new career opportunities or seek to become more productive in their current roles. She is the author of Coach Yourself to a New Career and How to Feel Great at Work Every Day. Deborah can be reached at http://www.surpassyourdreams.com or at (631) 874-2877.

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