Source: This article was originally published on CNBC.

Written by: Courtney Connley, CNBC Make It

Do you feel bored, stuck or uninspired by your current career?

You’re not alone. In fact, that feeling uncertain about your current career is incredibly common. But before you make a career change, there are a few things you should consider to ensure that you’re taking the right next step for your career.

Here are three questions  anyone considering a career change should be able to answer with a hearty “yes.”:

1. Are you sure you don’t just need a break?

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the non-stop competition, never-ending changes and the intense pace of today’s professional world. The emotional toll can be significant, and as a result, it’s not uncommon to hear an ‘I just can’t do this anymore’ voice drumming in our heads.

But before you put in your two weeks’ notice, you want to be absolutely certain that that voice isn’t just a sign of burnout.

Don’t get me wrong, burnout is real and can feel awful. But it’s curable with an extended vacation or change in assignment, both of which your boss may be glad to accommodate, if it means not losing you forever.

Maybe you really do want to change careers, but a break of some kind may be a good first step—just to make sure.

2. Do you have the self-confidence and passion to let your ego get crushed for a while?

If you want to make a drastic career change, you’ll need to be prepared to start over at a lower title.

If you’re over 30, most likely a career change is not going to be a lateral move. In most cases, you have to go backwards in order to gain the necessary experience to move forward. You may have to take a lower position with a pay cut or return to school to learn a new skill. You may even have to be an intern again.

With all of this in mind, you have to honestly ask yourself if you’re ready, willing and able to live though a humbling year—or two, or five?

3. Does your comfort zone bore you to death?

The truth is, a professional reinvention only happens if you’re willing to do stuff that makes you squirm.

This, could mean attending multiple conferences, striking up conversations with complete strangers, cold calling people and putting in the work to land informational interviews. It could also mean relocating to a different city or state.

It’s scary. I know. I remember what it felt like when I took the leap from a newspaper reporter to a management consultant. Practically everything I did that first year, I was doing for the first time in my life.

But it was worth it to put in the work to get acclimated to my new role, because when you’re ready for a career change, the answer to these questions is ‘yes.’ There are no maybes about it.

Suzy Welch is the co-founder of the Jack Welch Management Institute and a noted business journalist, TV commentator, and public speaker. Through its online MBA program, the Jack Welch Management Institute transforms the lives of its students by providing them with the tools to become better leaders, build great teams, and help their organizations win.