We all feel stuck at some point in our professional lives. It's a natural part of professional growth and development to stretch boundaries and reach for more. More troubling, however, are the signs that indicate you're not in control, that the world has changed and you haven't kept up, or that there's more to life than how you're currently living it.

The key to your professional survival is to recognize these signs and take action.

12 Signs Your Career is Stuck…

1. You feel you can do more, accomplish more, and live more fully, you just don't know how to get there.
2. You dream of self-employment or the opportunity to create meaningful work for yourself.
3. You don't have a "Plan B" if something were to happen to your current position.
4. Your personal values are not being met by your professional activities.
5. You are more sensitive to criticism by colleagues and superiors than you used to be.
6. You have reached the cap for performance ratings and salary levels.
7. You have not maintained active contact with your network.
8. You feel boxed in by others' expectations.
9. You've been passed over for a promotion one more time.
10. Your company has changed and you just don't seem to fit in anymore.
11. You used to know what was going on but now feel out of the loop.
12. Work has lost the creative spark you once enjoyed.

…And What Will Get You Going Again

Here are 8 recommendations to shift your career into forward gear:

• Dig into the root cause of your dissatisfaction. Is it the work activities you are engaged in, the work environment, misalignment between work and personal goals, conflicts with specific individuals, or other factors?
• Understand your core values. A values assessment (offered by many professional coaches) can help unlock what motivates you professionally and personally.
  • Make sure your needs are being met. Denying your emotional and physical needs can make you angry. That anger drains energy and can make you feel unhappy and stuck.
  • Be aware of what you are tolerating and what you need to complete. Unfinished business -- even if it is personal -- can drain you of the energy you need for work. So too can those little things that wear you down, like a cluttered house or no free time. Take care of these and lighten your load.
• Find a mentor. Building bridges with someone in your company or industry can help uncover potential career paths and navigate company politics that might have seemed impenetrable.
• Get out and network. Meet new people and reconnect with old contacts to re-invigorate your professional confidence and the opportunities you can create for yourself.
• Hire a coach. Get the personal support of a coach to balance career and personal priorities, create an action plan for achieving your career change goals, and the follow-through to make it happen.