Sure, we've all had those days. You head for work in a foul mood, dreading another eight hours of monotony and tedium. There's nowhere to go within the company and your boss is no help, so you fight the urge to tell off your manager and quit on the spot, just like in that old Johnny Paycheck song.

Ever wonder, however, if it's not the job, but your perspective?

For many people, getting stuck in a rut on their career path is a common occurrence. Lacking goals, motivation, or an ability to shake loose the ties that bind them, many workers simply play out the same routine day in and day out, living a life that includes a career that leaves them unfulfilled and wanting for more.

Whether you're one of those people, or just know someone like that, it may help to know that "stuck-in-a-rut" behavior is so common that an entire career field has grown by leaps and bounds in response to a perceived need to help people find the motivation to move on to bigger and better things. Building on the popularity of life coaching, career coaching is an increasingly popular way to help people dig themselves out of a career hole.

Setting the bar
Career coaching isn't therapy, nor is it hiring a professional referee to navigate you through the trials and tribulations of your daily workplace. Career coaches are professional motivators, people who help you to identify your strengths, skills, and values, and to define your career goals and professional aspirations.

Many of us recognize how important goal setting is to our personal and professional growth, but it is a deceptively hard thing for many people to pull off. Career coaches are skilled at helping you identify what you want to achieve, and then, most importantly, assist you in devising a plan for achieving those goals. They go beyond pumping you up and making you feel good - they provide the support and motivation that many people need to get jump started on making a change.

Finding your true calling
It's much easier to define what we don't like than to know what it is we really want to do. Many people work at jobs simply because it is "what they do" and it pays the bills, but for most, their jobs are not something they're particularly passionate about. You may know what you like to do, but finding a career direction that fits in with what you like to do may seem down-right impossible. A job coach won't be able to meld your engineering strengths with a love for fly-fishing, but they may be able to help you find a job that enables you to balance your life better and give you more time for those long weekends with nature.

Getting it together
A common problem for many people is just simply staying organized between the demands of their jobs and their personal lives. For some, particularly working moms and single parents, it's easy to become overwhelmed and discouraged. A career coach can teach you more effective work habits, show you how to stay organized, and coach you on how to be more efficient in both realms of your life. By staying in control of your life, rather than letting it control you, your job may seem less like a burden and more like something you can look forward to.

Moving on up
With your efficiency on the job improved, your motivation jump-started, and your goals at the forefront, you're much more likely to be an efficient, productive, and competitive worker. Such a positive state will more likely result in a better chance of success at scoring promotions or better yet, a job that you really want, doing something that really interests you.

Career coaching is all about helping you reach your potential, rather than staying trapped by your own thoughts, fears, or insecurities about change. Career coaching isn't designed to drudge up your past, but it is about planning for your future. If you're feeling trapped, overwhelmed, or just in need of a change, it may be the right thing for you.