A report from the Labor Department this week says that the current competition for jobs is the steepest since the beginning of the recession.  For every open position, there is on average 6.3 people competing for the same opportunity.  The reality of the pain associated with a recession really hits home when you lose your job and can’t find another one.  To make matters worse, a significant portion of job seekers have been out of a job for more than 6 months, and at that point desperation starts to set in, sometimes leading to health issues, including depression.

But what may seem like a destructive force to some, can be just the right kick in the rear end to get others moving in the right direction.  Many people settle for staying in jobs that they are not happy about just because it is a safe and convenient position to be in.  But when you are forced out of your situation of relative comfort, you may feel the urge to find something different, something that you hadn’t considered before, but that now makes sense to pursue, because, as the old saying goes, necessity in the mother of invention.

If you have been unhappy in your job, and you are now in a position where you need to reinvent yourself, this may be the best chance you have to pursue something that you are passionate about, and that will significantly improve your life.  When you do something that you really enjoy, you improve your overall happiness and outlook in life, which miraculously improves your performance, leading to a higher degree of success and even higher levels of happiness.

David Kyvig, a historian at Northern Illinois University says that “When things are going well, we tend to stay with what is working.  When things don’t, we explore something new.”   And here is the real kicker:  According to Andrea Kays, author of Life’s a Bitch and Then You Change Careers: 9 Steps to Get Out of Your Funk and On to Your Future, in a surprising number of cases we’re happier “if, after the shock, anger and fear, someone is willing to see there’s an opportunity to do something different. Then they ask, ‘Why did I wait so long?’”

As reported in the USA Today, Caroline Blake, 29, of Kenilwoth, NJ, knew that she didn’t like her job as a recruiter for an IT consulting firm.  She also knew that she was passionate about animals.  As the firm started laying people off, she became fearful that she would be next.  The result was a newfound career in pet care.  She invested $10,000 in a Fetch! Pet Care franchise which involves taking care of dogs, including taking them for a walk, and keeping them overnight at her home. 

Despite of the fact that Caroline new works 7 days a week, starting as early as 6:30 am and going as late as 11:00 pm, she has been able to integrate her pet care business into her lifestyle.  Most importantly, she loves what she does, and makes a good living earning about 75% of what she earned as a consultant.  What does she think about her decision?  “The smartest thing I’ve ever done,” she says.

It is surprising what you will find out about yourself when you try something different.  Just look at the case of Jamie Titus, 36, of Dallas, TX.  She used to work as a paralegal for a mechanical engineering firm – a job that involved reading the fine print of contracts and reports all day long.  It turned out that the firm started laying people off and she was forced to take a pay cut and take on an additional workload, a situation that was not sustainable.  So she explored other alternatives.

Despite being an extrovert, Jamie did not think she would do well in sales, since she once failed to raise money for a cause she supported.  But when the opportunity knocked on her door to sell Mary Kay cosmetics out of her home, she went for it.  Now she predicts that within a year she will be making at least as much as she made as a paralegal.  How does she describe her experience?  “I was scared.  I took a huge leap of faith.  But it was the right one.”

As you can see from the examples above, taking the steps to make a significant change in your life or career can be very scary, and usually only happens when circumstances beyond your control force you into making the change.   But if you change into doing something that you enjoy or are passionate about, your entire mind and body will be on your side, significantly increasing the chances that you will be successful.