#24: How My Career-to-Calling Pivot Changed My Life

Power to the pivot! That’s my rallying cry, folks. Recently, during a client session, I shared that there’s power in the pivot. And, yeah, it sounds like something you might hear from a pro sports coach or dance choreographer, but this wisdom applies to non-athletes, as well.

I should know. I’ve had a few professional pivots in my life.

These days, I spend hours each week coaching people through their own career-to-calling pivots (check out my Career to Calling Accelerator)...helping them identify how they define both fulfillment and success, what’s present and missing in their lives, and what possibilities exist for them to move forward in a more fulfilling way. Together, we reach AMAZING results...including:

Pivoting into an entirely new industry;
Finding a new role that uses all your skills AND pushes you to evolve beyond your imagination;
Realizing it’s the right time to launch your business and get your first clients;
Deciding to invest in your education and going back to school;
Or securing a higher salary AND more leadership responsibility.

This stuff is exciting! I wanna say that in my Oprah's voice: This stuff is exciting! But wait--there’s more! In addition to these outcomes, there’s also deep personal growth that looks like increased courage, improved health, renewed zest, and maybe even the type of mindset that makes all the Twitter snark completely irrelevant. Yes, it’s true!

But this wasn’t always my reality. And I sure could have used my own help nearly a decade ago. At that point, I’d had two careers: one as an academic teaching media studies and rhetoric in higher education and one in marketing--my first job was in marketing Haagen-Dazs ice cream. Which is as delicious a job as you’d suspect. Seriously...I had daily access to free dulce de leche ice cream about 5 feet from my desk. My entire marketing career included working for a Fortune 500, a startup, and a middle-market private business...mostly in the lifestyles of health and sustainability space. So--10 years ago--I was feeling pulled in a new direction due to the health experiences of loved ones, but I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do next. I was more than a decade out of undergrad, had already completed one grad degree, and I was considering a second one that, despite my bona fides in the health and wellness space, made it seem like I was back at square one.

From there, it took me a few years and pivots to really define the clear path that I’m on today. My situation isn’t unique, but there are a few insights I’ve gleaned that may be of value to you. So that’s what we’re diving into in this article: How making a career-to-calling pivot can change your life for the better.

Today, we’re diving into key insights about making career pivots. I’m doing this for two reasons:

First, I’ll share perspectives and resources that might support you through your own career pivot and...
Second, we need to normalize mid-career pivots...because--too often--these types of change are perceived as “failures.” To which I say, “Oh, HELL NO!” Like I said in the opener: there’s power in the pivot. Especially the career pivot.

You’ll experience many different types of transitions in life: personal, physical, professional, and more. The average adult faces 30-40 disruptors in their life, which is basically a pace of 1 disruptor every 12-18 months. For every 10 of them, 1 will be a major lifequake. We typically have 3 to 5 lifequakes during our life. Buckle up, baby!

Of all of these, our professional transitions seem to have the greatest urgency for us...which is what so many are saying. And that actually surprised me. But when I think about it, it makes sense. We spend a third of our lives “at work” and so professional transitions can be nerve-wracking yet they hold tremendous promise. Did you know the number of jobs the average person has is 13? 13! It’s liberating to hear this, isn’t it? Because--for too long--we’ve been obsessed with comparing ourselves to an out-of-date ideal, contributing to our confusion, discontent, and exhaustion...and “shoulding” all over ourselves for not living up to the fallacy.

So you know that I like to say, “I do the research so you don’t have to.” Well, if you dive into the research of life transitions, you’ll learn that these experiences actually typically move you toward what matters most...whether it’s a calling, a relationship, your health, or some other aspect of your life.

One of my favorite experts on life transitions is Dr. Viktor Frankl, author of Man’s Search for Meaning...one of my favorite books about meaning, purpose, and...really...coaching.

Viktor Frankl once said, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

On the one hand, it’s like “Thanks A LOT for the added pressure, Dr. Frankl. Do you NOT know the global shit show we’ve been in for the last year?” On the other hand, I like a good pep talk. What he’s basically saying is that your task--if you choose to accept it...and pssst: you gotta--is to make your own meaning.

You see... the difference between your fulfillment and your frustration is how well you manage the challenge of making meaning in your life. And while there’s no single formula, there IS a growing body of know-how to make this process easier. Yep...a century after Viktor Frankl first placed the burden on each of us to determine what gives us meaning, we have more guidance and tools than ever to answer this call.

You know I’m always dropping the research, right? Plus, I like a set of 3--it makes things easier to remember.

Today, I’m sharing 3 sets of 3 because I’m feeling generous. Is it my post-vaxx optimism shining through? You can learn more about what I’m about to share in the book Life is in the Transitions by Bruce Feiler. For now, just visualize a 3 x 3 grid or framework.

The first row or set of 3 ways to make meaning are the primary levers to pull in your life--called the ABCs:

A = Agency: autonomy, freedom, creativity, mastery; the belief that you can affect the world around you
B = Belonging: relationships, community, friends, family; the people that surround and nurture you
C = Cause: a calling, direction, purpose; the transcendent commitment beyond yourself that makes your life worthwhile

The second row or set of 3 ways to make meaning are the principal stories to tell:

Me Story: the one in which we’re the hero, the creator; we exercise agency and, in return, feel fulfilled
We Story: the one in which we’re part of a community, a family, a team; we belong to a group and, in turn, feel needed
Thee Story: the one in which we’re serving an ideal, a cause; we give of ourselves to others and, by extension, feel part of something larger

The final row or set of 3 ways to make meaning are the prevailing life shapes we choose: lines, circles, and stars. These shapes represent something essential about how we view ourselves...they’re basically clues to the priorities we hold most dear.

Lines: Shapes that reflect some sort of trajectory: moving through time, rising and falling; examples: river, winding road, zigzag, mountain range
Circles: Shapes that are more spatial in nature; enclosed shapes that have borders, outlines, walls; examples: heart, house, basket, bowl
Stars: Shapes that are some sort of object: symbol, icon, logo, globe, cross, infinity sign, butterfly

Buckets correspond well to the ABCs of meaning and the stories we tell ourselves

Lines → more focused on their agency; more work- and achievement-oriented; “Me” story comes first
Circles → belonging; more relationship-oriented; “We” story is primary
Stars → cause-focused; more oriented toward their beliefs, saving the world, or serving others; “Thee” story is paramount

We’re constantly weighing these elements in response to life events. We tend to prioritize one element over the others--this is a core construct (in psychology). We also have a secondary priority, and a tertiary priority (e.g., ACB).

I appreciate the visuals these frameworks offer. But, even more important, I appreciate how they illustrate that there’s no singular answer or right way...that what creates fulfillment is highly individualized. There’s no mass-produced purpose, no matter what that friend who joined an MLM company tries to tell you.

SIGNATURE SEGMENT: WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT

Okay, friends, I’ve got another installment of “What I Learned About...” where I share stories from my own life that can offer perspective about the topic at hand.

Today, I’m sharing “What I Learned About Career Pivots from That Time I Went Back to Grad School Not Once, But Twice...and Also Worked in Fortune 500, Startup, Mid-Sized and Large Enterprise Settings...and Then Ventured Solo.”

Whew! Say that 5 times fast.

We’re going to review the key themes or insights from my career pivots...because I know that you’ll likely experience them, too. Specifically, I’ll share five meaning-making steps to take:

ACCEPTANCE: Acceptance of salary and schedule changes is so important. Actually, acceptance in all areas of life is crucial--it’s the practice that has the greatest positive effect on our life satisfaction, yet it’s the habit we practice least. That’s the little PSA I share as often as I can. Now back to the salary cut. I knew I’d be taking a huge salary cut in going back to school and also when launching my own business, at least initially. This might not be the case for everyone, but I chose to prioritize my professional alignment over making $$s, especially in the short term. I’d been making a healthy salary and decided it was worth giving that all up to pursue my most fulfilling work. However, this meant budgeting more carefully, changing my living situation, and adjusting my expectations about how I’d spend my money and time. As a global travel enthusiast, this was NOT a light decision. But I’m so glad I did it. Here’s the takeaway: When you can make acceptance an active, daily practice, your overall life satisfaction will soar.
DECONSTRUCTION: Embracing the transition is necessary. In my case, it wasn’t a sudden spark of clarity that led me to my career in coaching, teaching and speaking. Instead, it was a set of 10 smaller pivots that ultimately oriented me in this direction. This means that to allow these pivots to happen without derailing your efforts, you’ll need to make time for personal growth and reflection without an explicit goal in mind. This can be challenging because you’re living in a hyper-focused world (especially in the U.S.) that’s so extra about conflating our self-concept or identity with our careers. But this is a false frame and can narrow your beliefs about who you are and what’s possible for you. Here’s the takeaway: Know that shedding your old mindsets is required and can be facilitated by ritualizing your transition.
STRUCTURED CREATIVITY: When making a career pivot, you’re going to need to open yourself up to trying new experiences, which can seem uncomfortable. And because of this discomfort, you’ll likely want to avoid certain steps. So you’re going to want to be intentional about creating a structure for yourself--to both be creative and to hold yourself accountable to the things that may bring discomfort. Here’s the takeaway: When you can establish this intention--whether supporting yourself with a morning movement sesh, having an accountability partner, or something else--you’ll be better equipped to make your pivot possible, no matter when you experience a motivational dip.
CONNECTION: Seek wisdom from others, such as formal and informal mentors, as well as a career and life coach like me! When I considered my own pivots, I reached out to various people I admired or was intrigued by to learn more about my desired industry. These conversations were crucial to discovering new opportunities. Additionally, I worked with a coach who really kept me honest about what mattered most to me and how to make it happen. She helped me distill my purpose, set a vision and goals, and then create the successful architecture that would lead me to today. Most importantly, she was a wise guide who reflected back to me as a neutral party the desires and goals that she heard me speaking about...ones that I wasn’t even necessarily conscious of. Here’s the takeaway: You’re going to need intentional connection with mentors and a coach to interrogate the impact you most desire...and your most viable, feasible, and desirable pathways forward.
IDENTITY: This one’s a biggie. Fundamentally, it’s difficult for us to do anything that doesn’t align with our self-concept. This means you’re going to need to consciously reestablish your identity outside of your current job or career. If I didn’t teach in higher ed, was I still smart? Absolutely! If I didn’t work in wellbeing innovation and marketing, would I still be considered a visionary? For SURE. But it also took me many months of intentional thought work to believe in my knowledge, skills, and capacities that titles and corporate affiliations can fast track. Here’s the takeaway: You’ll need to be proactive in actually composing a fresh story for yourself.

Today, with many pivots under my belt, including formal study and training from top programs in adult development psychology, coaching science, integrative healing, and more, I’ve launched my private coaching practice, I’ve worked with hundreds of people on their own life pivots, and, most importantly, I’ve created a fulfilling professional life that nurtures my health, spiritual and personal development, and relationships.

To be clear, this ain’t no #humblebrag. I celebrate my life every day. And I’m pretty loud about it. As we ought to be. But, really, I share this to tell you that YOU CAN DO THIS, TOO! If you’re seeking greater professional fulfillment, a higher salary, a more harmonious life, more inspiration, energy and passion, opportunities to learn and grow, or something else outside your current reality, then your career-to-calling pivot awaits you.

As always, feel free to connect with me via social media for any insights or questions this episode has stimulated for you! I love hearing from you directly and am excited to continue down this path of learning and growth with you.