What It Really Takes to Change Your Career

Introduction:

Are you thinking about changing careers but afraid of what you might lose?
If you’ve been in the same role for years — maybe decades — the idea of walking away can feel terrifying. After all, you’ve worked hard. You’ve built something. You’re respected. People know you as “the lawyer,” “the architect,” or “the senior manager.”

So what happens when… you’re not that anymore?

Welcome to the quiet, tender space I call “The In-Between.” It’s that moment where you know your current career no longer fits, but you’re not yet sure what comes next. And it’s where the real courage lives.

The Myth of Certainty

Here’s what I tell my clients again and again: you won’t find certainty before you act. Clarity comes through taking the next step.

But I know letting go isn’t easy — especially after years in one career. So here’s the key: before you can move forward, you need to identify what you must carry with you into your next profession.

Is it a feeling of purpose? A way of working? A certain type of environment? Or the core values that make work meaningful for you?

Most people hesitate because they’re afraid of losing something specific — whether it’s the sense of achievement, the type of relationships they have at work, or the impact they make.

When you clearly understand what that “something” is — your true why — you can find a new path where those essential elements are still present, even if everything else changes.

That’s how you move forward without losing yourself — by carrying your core values, your key motivations, and what truly energizes you into your next chapter.

Letting Go of the Medals

We carry our careers like medals.
“I’m an architect.”
“I’m a senior finance executive.”
“I’m a teacher.”

But your job title is not your identity.

I should know. Before I became a coach, I trained as an architect. I loved it — until I didn’t. Letting go of that title was like breaking up with a version of myself. But in doing so, I made space for a new version — one that felt more aligned, more real, and yes… more me.

Building the Bridge: From Past to Future

Career change doesn’t mean starting from scratch.
It means carrying your skills, values, and strengths forward — in a new direction.

That’s why I use tools like CliftonStrengths with my clients. When you see your patterns, your talents, your red thread — everything you’ve done starts to make sense. You realise you’re not abandoning your experience. You’re redesigning how it works for you.

✍️ Questions to Ask If You’re Ready to Start Over

Ask yourself:

• What am I really afraid of — and what’s more powerful than that fear?

• What would make this transition feel successful in 6 months?

• Can I stop saying “I am a [job]” and start saying “I am becoming…”?

Write your answers. Speak them out loud. That’s how change begins.