I recently put out a Facebook all-call, asking people what they would go back and tell themselves when they were starting out in their career. The responses were oddly similar, and all boiled down to not being afraid to make a change.
People's "regrets" ranged from staying in a position or a career because they were comfortable and afraid to make the jump into what they really wanted to do, or from not changing departments out of loyalty to a particular person or office, to overanalyzing the effects a potential change could have until they had convinced themselves the change would be too much to handle.
Opportunities to advance and to grow seldom come around twice, so before you pass one up, make sure it is for solid reasons, and not out of fear or complacency. Ask yourself questions like these:
-Do I go to work each day knowing there is nothing else I would rather do?
-If I don't take this opportunity now, and never have another chance, will I regret it?
-Am I able to cut my expenses so that the financial hit of taking an entry-level position is minimal?
-If my boss/co-workers were to leave tomorrow, would I want to work in my current department/position?
-Are the growth and development opportunities I want present from my current position?
Examining your motivations (instead of your reasons) for keeping your current position will tell you everything you need to know about whether making a move is the right thing for you.
