I didn't set out to become an entrepreneur. Honestly, for most of my second career change, I was just trying to survive it. But looking back, there were clues. Things I kept gravitating toward. Ways I kept showing up — even when I was terrified. And it turns out those weren't random quirks; they were strengths doing what strengths do.

Normal. What even is that? Honestly, the word sounds a little boring to me. A little vanilla. Somewhat pedestrian. Like beige carpet or plain rice cakes — perfectly fine, completely forgettable. And yet so many of us spend enormous energy trying to fit in, tone ourselves down, and smooth off the edges that make us genuinely interesting. We worry about saying the wrong thing, having an unpopular opinion, or standing out in a way that might make someone uncomfortable.

There's a quote I keep coming back to, and it's deceptively simple: "Whatever you decide to do, make sure it makes you happy." Simple. Obvious, even. And yet, for so many of us - quietly radical. At some point, most of us stopped asking whether our work makes us happy. Instead we started asking whether it pays enough, whether it's stable enough, whether we'd be foolish to leave it. Whether we should just be grateful. I know this, because I lived it.

How many times are you going to let January slip by before you actually do something about that career change you've been thinking about? I've navigated two major career changes myself. Both terrifying. Both absolutely worth it. The second took nearly a decade—a slow, uncomfortable pivot from 25 years in Product Strategy and Innovation into career coaching. The first happened faster, leaving behind my chosen under graduate focus for a career in Technology.

You've been thinking about it for months. Maybe years. You've googled "career change at [your age]" more times than you'd like to admit. You've saved job posts you'll probably never apply for. You've had the same conversation with your partner on repeat: "I just need to figure out what I actually want." But here's the thing that nobody talks about: Deciding what to do next isn't actually your problem. The real problem? Getting started. Taking that first step.

Hindsight's a wonderful thing, right?* After 25 years in corporate life, two significant career changes, and a journey from tech startups to career coaching, I've learned some hard-won lessons that I wish someone had shared with my bright-eyed 20-year-old self, fresh out of university. Here's the thing: I don't see these experiences as things that happened 'to' me anymore. I've flipped my thinking.

You've built a successful career over 10, 15, maybe 20 years. You've climbed the ladder, earned respect, built a reputation. People know you as "the lawyer," "the senior specialist," "the group manager." Your LinkedIn profile is impressive, your business cards are crisp, and your elevator pitch is polished. Then something happens.

If you're reading this, chances are you've felt it: that persistent voice inside saying it's time for a career change. But maybe you're also drowning in reasons why now isn't the right time, why it's not possible for someone like you, or why you should just stay put. Here's what might surprise you...the biggest barrier to your career change isn't your age, qualifications, or the job market. It's something much more subtle, pervasive, and—thankfully—completely within your co

Have you ever achieved everything on your career wishlist—the impressive title, the salary bump, maybe even that corner office—only to find yourself asking, "Is this it?" If you're nodding along, you're not alone. And more importantly, you might be dealing with what psychologist Tim Kasser calls "junk values."