Unsatisfied in my work – more salary and less challenges – Part 1 : the MODEL

Around 4 months ago, I changed jobs from one with good challenges but a toxic work environment to a not challenging work with a great manager that is soothing my “trauma”/coping mechanism from my past work environment. Note: I was on the verge of a burn out when I left my work.

1_ Unintentional Model
Circumstance: My workload is low. I am an Assistant for international staff’s job I do and they take at times the credits.
Thoughts: I am overqualified for my job and I deserve/want more responsabilities (ego talking)
Feeling: I feel bored, frustrated, and under valued. I feel it in my jaw and tightness in my sternum.
Action: I still take advantage of me being too qualified (=finishing tasks faster) to do sports and household work during working hours but the feeling of being convinced of my choice isn’t there
Result: I doubt my decision to change job and hesitate about the benefits of my decision to change jobs.

2_ Intentional Model
Circumstance: I am an assistant facilitating the work of managers and if they have credits of their work, I can take them as my own.
Thought: I am great at my job and I can move one quickly to a more challenging job
Feeling: Satisfied, proud
Action: I do what is asked and enjoy the remaining of my time to focus on my others goals of thsi year.
Result: I shift my focus from work centred life to life centered life.

My question: for some reason this intentional model is not – yet – feeling right and I have been conscious about my decision to make a move in my career in the summer. Yet, this change isn’t it. The intentional model seems to be a bit too pushed to be realistic but I am stuck in changing it to fit my need at the moment. I don’t want to be an assistant, I actually enjoyed in my past job to be in charge and take decisions/ carry responsabilities.

Any advice how to rephrase it? Or find an alternative?

Answer:

First thing, let’s simplify and factualize your C line. I know what you’ve put there is true in many ways – but let’s make it something that everyone, and I mean EVERYONE could agree upon. Here are some suggestions for your C line (which you can keep the same for both models):

My job, my actions at my job, my boss’s actions/statements
My job description

Anyone could say, ‘Yes, you have a job, and you take action there.’ or ‘I read your job description and I know what’s expected of you.’ It keeps it simple – you can take some of the thoughts that are currently in your C line and put them into a T line to do a model with them.

Onto the IM though…what if you leaned into possibility or potential for the future. When you start to think about that, about what you can do in the future, about what you want, where does that lead you? What thoughts emerge? Notice whether any of them feel like they might fit the bill for your IM and why.