4 Signs You're Not Ready for the Next Step

How to avoid career opportunities that are out of your league

Every deal has challenges, drawbacks and responsibilities of equal magnitude to the exciting benefits. According to renowned leadership mentor and human behaviour expert, Dr John Demartini, when you see both sides of an opportunity, you are more grounded, more calm, centred and poised and you are more ready to take on the true responsibilities that it takes to achieve the next step.

However, if you feel elated by an opportunity or are so excited you begin to talk about it to others before it has been sealed, these are signs you are infatuated with the opportunity and are not fully ready for the reality of what it will bring.

"If you consistently demonstrate efficient, effective, productive and profitable service within your company, you will increase the probability of attracting new and greater opportunities to advance your career. When you do receive what appears to be an amazing opportunity, if you become highly excited, extroverted and narcissistic, or tend to want to brag and tell your friends or colleagues that you just landed a 'big deal' or 'big opportunity', then that could be a sign that you're not quite ready to truly manage the opportunity", Dr Demartini advises.

Dr Demartini cautions that, if you get highly elated or excited about the 'deal', you maybe unconsciously knowing that you are not ready otherwise you would not imagine it to be 'big'.

"If you assume there are way more exciting benefits and positives than challenging drawbacks and negatives, you are blindly infatuated with the opportunity, rather than realistic, balanced, self-governed, grateful and ready to handle all the challenging responsibilities that will for certain accompany it. Challenges that you have overlooked, but will certainly face", Dr Demartini says.

Some of the signs to let you know that you're possibly not ready to reasonably manage the responsibility that comes with a new opportunity include: 

Extroversion and a desire to tell people about the 'big opportunity' – the subtle tones of bragging.

Excitement. Fantasies about what's going to come next.

Oversighting and minimising the accountabilities, responsibilities and challenges that will be faced – being a bit blind.

Underestimating the cost to your career, life, time or relationships.

Dr Demartini suggests that, if you catch yourself being infatuated with a big deal, exaggerating it and exhibiting other signs mentioned above, calm yourself down before you 'lose' or blow the deal. It's a sign you're not grounded in what's your responsibilities are about to be and it's over and above what you inwardly perceive you are capable of. That's why you're calling it a -big deal'. 

Dr Demartini is considered one of the leading authorities on human behaviour and personal development. He has been a welcomed guest on Larry King Live, a contributor to Oprah Magazine, and featured in the international phenomena The Secret. He has appeared in numerous documentaries such The Opus, The Compass, Spirit 2 Power and Oh My God alongside celebrities such as Hugh Jackman, Seal, Ringo Star and Bob Geldof, and is the author of 10 books published in 29 different languages. He has produced over 60 CDs and DVDs covering subjects such as personal development, relationships, wealth, education and business. www.drdemartini.com