How to Avoid a Vortex of Distraction while Learning Skills or Changing Careers

Image by Martin E. Dodge

*update: some items mentioned in the blog may no longer be available.

September 1, 2023

        Learning skills or changing careers has steps that seem predictable but can stall without warning. Usually, I am making progress or at least on track with my goal. And out of nowhere, something catches my attention, and I must chase it. Or I realize too late that I have strayed off the path and am mired in a vortex of distraction. Sometimes, there is more than one vortex. Identifying the distraction helps to form an escape plan, or better yet, planning helps avoid distraction.

        The heart of my situation is the need to change careers due to health reasons. I have a hip replacement implant, and the type of work I do will damage it. My skills are valuable elsewhere, but many jobs have the same problematic work environment. My best option is to retrain for a physically low-impact career.

        My elephant in the room is returning to school, which has proven to be a complex network of distraction vortices. I must spend my savings and shed my yearly income to qualify for financial aid and loans. In the process, I would lose my ability to pay for housing, transportation, insurance, and food. This is a professionally verified truth, and too many factors rely on luck. Instead, I found stability and value in self-learning.

        My gorilla in the room is using my network to find a new start. Unfortunately, I do not know friends or family with the right connections. Also, career-adjacent jobs I can switch to have the same risks as my current position. I remain on the lookout for advice, help, and collaboration.

        My wild card is the impact of AI on skills and jobs. Artificial intelligence can accelerate self-learning and streamline menial tasks. This is excellent news for small businesses and hobbyists. But entry-level jobs I can do might only exist for a short time. Despite glaring flaws, the hype surrounding AI has created an atmosphere of over-expectation. Those who must adjust to using AI may need help maintaining employment.

        Giving up my pursuit of career change is not an option. The whole thing might be a vortex of distraction, but I cannot stop trying. Replacing a damaged hip implant requires surgery, so I cannot work at my current occupation for three months while recovering. And then there are the medical bills to pay. I am not getting younger, and running around a restaurant doesn’t get easier.

        I know what I’m talking about concerning a fool’s errand, wild goose chase, and distraction. I have pursued them because of bad advice, desperation, anger, optimism, and a whim. Even with planning, seeking change in one’s life has real and perceived challenges that can halt the quest. It has taken time for me to find the words to share my experiences. Please consider the following twelve strategies when identifying your vortex of distraction.

1 – Identify the issues that cause you concern. For example, I must change careers to avoid improper bending, crouching, lifting, and pulling to protect my hip implant.

2 – Start small and take the next step to beat procrastination. Also, no one will save you – you must do it yourself.

3 – Avoid allowing desperation or anger to drive you. Visualize the desired outcome, a realistic solution, and prepare for a long-term effort. For example, saving money by depositing small amounts is more effective than buying lottery tickets.

4 – Do not try to keep track of everything in your head. Identify the primary goal and make a list of actions to reach it. Check each action's order, stages, and completion. Stay organized with a free Goal Journal Page PDF from my website, uduforu.com.

5 – Set realistic expectations for goals, time, and money. Allow enough time to get results. You might need to pay for progress, but avoid crippling debt. Tackling too many issues at once can cause paralysis. Pursue one item at a time.

6 – Be patient. You may need to wait for results, a calendar date, money, or learn something to continue. Or take a break.

7 – Let go of preconceptions. If you are trying too hard to make something work, find a new perspective.

8 – Identify your skills that transfer to other work. Mine are listening, communication, problem-solving, delegation, and experience as a team leader. Also, I am tech savvy, excel at customer service, and started a business from scratch.

9 – Learn with Google or YouTube, buy a book, or take a class or certification program. Learning is a lifelong pursuit, but it cannot become a distraction.

10 – Let technology assist you. But do not rely on artificial intelligence for accuracy or to provide facts. And social media is not a cure.

11 – Ask for help. Stubbornness will get you nowhere faster than bad advice. You must try to find help.

12 – Do not give up because of things beyond your control—for example, bad luck, bad timing, and discrimination. An interviewer does not have to schedule you or call back.

        Another distraction I avoid is downplaying my situation when talking to others. I do not expound on a tale of woe; I tell it like it is. I consider this a part of networking a solution because you never know how help will arrive. I try to be polite when swatting away unhelpful optimism and ignore memes. My frustration sometimes becomes another vortex, but I persist. My skills are valuable, but I do not expect to start a new profession at an equivalent level. I hope to be the new guy at a job that is not a health hazard. In the meantime, I’ll keep running around the restaurant as safely as possible. And improve my writing and other skills at my home-based business. Now, identify your distractions and persevere.