7 mistakes high achievers make when choosing their next career step (intro)
I talk to a lot of high achievers who are trying to figure out what they want to do next in their career.
They’ve already accomplished incredible things, and from the outside, it looks like they should easily glide into their next step…
But on the inside, they’re feeling a bit confused and stuck about what the right next step would be.
There’s a few reasons why this could be.
Sometimes, the “obvious” next step doesn’t feel like a hell yes.
Yes, you could keep progressing on the path you’re already on…
You could climb the ladder where you are…
Or take the role that “logically follows” from your previous experience…
But you’re looking at that path, and your gut is like, “Ugh. Do I have to?”
Sometimes, you know one phase of your career is over, and it’s time to make the jump to the next phase.
You’ve put in your time at the consulting firm. You know you don’t want to be a partner. It’s time to make the jump.
You’ve taken a break to be a full-time parent. You know you don’t want to be a stay-at-home parent forever. It’s time to jump back in.
You’ve progressed well in management at a larger company. Now you want to level up by taking a more senior role at a fast-growing startup. It’s time to find the right place to grow and shine.
Sometimes, the shift is forced on you.
You get laid off.
The latest reorg takes you and your team out of the center of the action.
Corporate priorities are moving in a direction you disagree with.
There isn’t room for you to grow and be promoted where you currently are.
And you know you have to make some kind of change to keep progressing.
Whatever the reason that you know it’s time for a shift…
When you’re in the messy middle of figuring it out…
It can feel like you’re the only one going through it.
The world is full of gleaming LinkedIn announcements of everyone else’s impressive new job.
Everyone else’s resume and career progression seems like it makes so much sense…
Mentors give you strongly worded but totally conflicting advice…
And the whole thing can make you feel surprisingly lonely and dumb.
But I’m here to tell you—
You’re not alone.
And you’re not dumb :)
There are 7 common mistakes I see high achievers make when they’re figuring out their next career step.
Mistakes that keep you stuck and spinning, when you don’t realize what they are…
But mistakes that are incredibly easy to correct once you spot them.
And once you correct these mistakes…
Clarity, conviction, and momentum on your next career step swiftly follow.
Over the next several days, I’m going to go through these mistakes — and exactly how to correct them — one by one.
And by the end of the series, you’re going to have way more clarity on what you want to do next…
And a clear, simple roadmap of how to get there.
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And if you want to skip all the self-study…
And have me analyze your particular situation and just tell you what to do…
Come talk to me, and I’ll give you my custom suggestions today.
You can drop by anytime for a no-strings-attached coffee chat ☕️
It’s not a sales pitch.
It’s just an opportunity for us to discuss whatever’s on your mind…
And I’ll offer some one-off coaching and brainstorming about your situation.
Or you can book a consult call, and we can map out a full coaching engagement.
So we can not only get clear on your next step…
We can also fully flesh out the roadmap for getting there…
Tinker with it as you talk to more people and learn more from the market…
And execute it step by step until you’re where you want to be.
Mistake #1 ➡️
What my clients have to say…
“I feel less helplessness.
There’s so much more that’s in my control, in terms of taking the next step or making a decision.
And that makes me feel more optimistic and confident in my decision making.
I just feel more at ease.”
—Client | VP - Global Product, Visa
I help high-stress high achievers build their careers around flow.
This requires…
Internally, learning how to access your flow no matter what’s going on around you (or inside you)
Externally, designing a career strategy that angles your flow at a high-priority problem that someone will pay you good money to solve
Tactically, navigating the transition from the role you’re in to the role you want
Today’s article focused on #2.
For more writing on all 3 of these, check out my table of contents.
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