I’ve written in the past about the pros and cons of job hopping. Yes, it’s true; you can spin it any way you want. But let’s be real: job hopping is no fun. Whether it’s a “good thing” or a “bad thing,” for your career might be debatable in theory. But, in reality, it’s a serious pain.

When you bounce from job to job, you find yourself in a perpetual state of transition, never really settled. You’re always “new,” trying to learn the ropes and figure out the next step in your “career”. You’re always playing catch up.

If you remain a job hopper for a prolonged period of time, you may even find yourself sliding slowly backwards. Five years down the line, you could look back and realize you’re not just standing still (professionally speaking), you’re actually regressing—your skills are deteriorating and your resume is becoming a scattered, inconsistent mess.

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Oh no! That’s me!” I want you to keep reading. Don’t panic, but pay attention. I’m going to tell you how to stop job hopping once and for all.

First off, STOP. Don’t make any drastic moves. My guess is that drastic, spontaneous moves are what got you into this situation.

It’s time to take things slow.

Here’s what usually happens: You find yourself in a job that doesn’t match who you are and what you want. You decide it’s time to leave. But, instead of taking your time and figuring out the RIGHT move for your career, you get anxious. You start blanketing the town with your resume, talking to everyone you know. With every minute that goes by, your panic rises.

So, when the first opportunity comes along, you jump.

“It’s not perfect,” you think. “But it’s something.”

Then, a few months down the line, it happens again. You’re not happy. You panic. You jump onto the next thing, knowing it’s still not perfect but at least it’s somewhat better.

It’s a vicious, painful, stressful, self-inflicted cycle.

Now is the time to put an end to it. Your situation will never improve if you don’t slow down and think before making your next move. In the past, you haven’t taken the time or invested the energy to make strategic career moves. You’ve simply leapt without looking—out of panic, out of fear, or out of sheer frustration. You’ve taken the route that, on the surface appeared to be easier and faster, but ultimately lead to more pain.

To stop the cycle, you need to do everything in your power to make sure your next career move doesn’t lead you down the same path. You need to take a different approach. You need to follow a smart, strategic and structured process that has proven results. No more guessing. No more grand leaps of faith. It’s time to do the work on the front-end to make sure your results on the back-end are actually what you want.

But here’s the problem many job hoppers have: They don’t know what they want. They’ve been entrenched in this cycle for so long, they’re starting to worry that nothing will satisfy them. They start to think that no job within reach will pay a decent wage and still provide them with some level of fulfillment. They start to believe that settling is their only option.

Sound familiar? Snap out of it.

You deserve career fulfillment and yes, it’s possible—no matter who you are. If you haven’t found it yet, you haven’t made it a priority. You’re not really trying.

I know that sounds harsh, but it’s the truth. There’s no mystery here. Finding the right career is a science. It takes work, but there are few things more rewarding in life.

If you’re ready to stop the vicious cycle of job hopping once and for all, I invite you to explore The F.I.N.D. Your Nourishing Career program. It’s a step-by-step, proven system to help you fearlessly identify new direction. This self-paced, on-demand learning program is like working with a career coach at your own speed.