If You’re Being Honest, You Already Know Something Needs to Change in Your Career or Life

Maybe it’s how you lead your team. Maybe it’s how you take care of yourself. Maybe you need to build some new skills to stay relevant in your role. Maybe it’s how you keep saying yes when your whole body is screaming no.

Deep down, you already know what’s not working. You feel the pull toward something bigger more aligned, more meaningful, more you.

But instead of moving, you’re waiting.

You’re waiting for clarity.
For confidence.
For permission.
For the “right” time.

Waiting feels safe in the moment. But in reality, it’s the riskiest move you can make because it keeps you stuck and nothing changes.

What Career Uncertainty Taught Me About Purpose and Change

Years ago, when I was an instructional coach, our district went through years of budget cuts. Every position, no matter your title, value, or tenure, was suddenly uncertain.

It was unsettling. My role often made me the bridge between administrators and teachers – listening, coaching, and helping navigate fear, frustration, and uncertainty.

And that season taught me one of the most important career lessons of my life…

No matter how hard we work or how much value we bring, our certainty doesn’t come from our jobs or titles. It comes from us.

According to Harvard Business Review, discovering purpose in your career starts with reflecting on the impact you want to make, not just the role you hold. I completely agree.

Eventually, my position was one of the many that got cut. I was fortunate to move back into the classroom, but that experience forced me to get radically honest and ask myself…

If my job wasn’t an option anymore, what else would I do?

How Radical Honesty Can Help You Discover Your Career Purpose

Once I asked that question, something shifted. I stopped clinging to what was familiar and started getting curious.

That’s when creativity showed up. I started thinking outside the box, considering ideas I’d never allowed myself to explore before… the kind that eventually led me to build my coaching business.

If you’ve ever heard the phrase “burn the boats,” it comes from the story of Spanish commander Hernán Cortés, who ordered his men to destroy their ships upon arriving in battle, leaving them no choice but to move forward.

I didn’t burn my boats. I didn’t quit overnight. I don’t think you have to either.

But I did start taking action which is what you’ll need to do too. I like to think of it like putting together a puzzle. So I didn’t get so overwhelmed with how to create this big new idea that I ended up stuck, I started with one puzzle piece at a time.

How to Design Your Life and Career Like a Puzzle, Not a Plan

While teaching full-time, I built my business in the margins. Early mornings. Late nights. Saturday work sessions between family life, grading, and lesson plans.

I didn’t know exactly how the pieces would fit together, but I trusted that if I kept putting one piece in place at a time, the bigger picture would come together.

That’s how I learned that clarity doesn’t come from overthinking. It comes from taking ownership and taking action.

Want help doing this? Grab my free guide to Discover Your Purpose.

It’s still how I design my life and business today.

Career Change Advice: The One Question That Creates Clarity

If you’re feeling stuck, here’s your starting point…

Ask yourself this: If what you’re doing right now wasn’t an option anymore, what would you do instead? And answer honestly.

Then take one small step toward that answer:

• Meet with a friend who does what you’re curious about.
• Research someone who made a similar career change.
• Look into a class, certification, or workshop.
• Job shadow or interview someone in that field.
• Ask for help.

Then do the next thing. And the next. Until your vision starts to come into focus.

This is how you design your life and discover your career purpose one small, brave, honest step at a time.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to have it all figured out to begin. You just have to be honest enough to admit what you want, and courageous enough to take the first step toward it.

Remember, clarity doesn’t come from thinking. It comes from taking action.

So stop waiting for the right time. And start putting the next puzzle piece in place.

Ready to Take Your First Step to Find Your Purpose?

Download my free guide, Discover Your Purpose: A guide to help you stop overthinking, procrastinating, and feeling stuck and get clarity about what’s next.

It’s packed with practical career advice to help you design a life and career that actually fit who you’re becoming.