I've navigated two career changes. Both terrifying. Both absolutely worth it!

Binny Langler
3 days ago
4 min read

Why "Just Figure Out What You Want" Is Terrible Career Change Advice

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.

And during both transitions, I heard the same well-meaning advice over and over:

"Just figure out what you want to do and do it."

If I had a dollar for every time someone said that to me, I'd be writing this from a hammock in the Maldives.

That advice sounds logical. It's what we tell ourselves too. "Once I figure out what I want, everything will fall into place."

But it doesn't work. And here's why.

The Real Problem Isn't the "What"

Deciding what to do next isn't actually the problem.

Getting yourself unstuck enough to see clearly—that's the problem.

When you're stuck in a career that's draining you, or feeling like you've outgrown your role, or lying awake at 3am wondering "is this it?"—you're not operating from a place of clarity. You're operating from fear, frustration, overwhelm, and a dozen competing beliefs about what you "should" do.

Your brain is too noisy to make good decisions.

You're caught in what I call the "messy middle"—that space between knowing you need to change and actually knowing what to change to. And in that space, you:

Research every possible career option until you're paralysed
Read endless articles about "finding your passion"
Take personality tests hoping they'll tell you your purpose
Wait for perfect clarity before taking any action
Tell yourself you'll start "when you're ready"

And months (or years) go by.

You don't need another article about career change. You don't need another quiz. You need to get unstuck.

What Actually Works: Start With the Foundations

In both my career changes, clarity didn't come from more thinking. It came from finally asking myself the right questions and being brave enough to answer them honestly.

Not "what job should I apply for?" but:

What's actually holding me back? (Hint: it's rarely what you think. It's usually a belief you're carrying about yourself that needs updating.)

What beliefs about myself need challenging? Like "I'm too old to change careers" or "I need to know exactly what I want before I move" or "I should be able to figure this out on my own."

What does career success actually mean to me? Not your parents' definition. Not LinkedIn's definition. Yours. Because if you don't know what you're moving toward, you'll just end up in another version of stuck.

What's my actual first step? Not step 20. Not the perfect plan. Step one. The smallest possible action that creates momentum.

Because here's what I learned navigating two career changes: the clarity comes after you start moving, not before.

You don't think your way into a new career. You move your way into clarity.

Why Traditional Career Advice Falls Short

Most career change advice assumes you're starting from a place of clarity and confidence. It skips straight to:

"Update your resume"
"Network more"
"Apply for jobs in your target industry"

But if you're still stuck in analysis paralysis, terrified of making the wrong choice, or completely overwhelmed by the options—that advice is useless.

It's like someone telling you to run a marathon when you haven't figured out how to put your shoes on yet.

You need a different starting point.

One that:

Meets you where you actually are (not where you think you should be)

Addresses the fear and overwhelm first

Gives you a framework to work through the mess

Creates momentum with small, achievable steps

This is exactly why I created the Career Change Framework I'll be sharing in the Career Crossroads workshop next Friday.

If You've Been contemplating a change for a while...

We're down to the last few spots in what's intentionally an intimate workshop (not hundreds of people—this is small and focused).

Career Crossroads: Stop Circling and Start Moving

✅ This is for you if:

You're stuck with no idea how to start your career change journey
Fear is louder than excitement when you think about change
You're out of work and need clarity and direction
You've been "planning" to make a change for months (or years)

❌ This is NOT for you if:

You're perfectly happy in your current career
You want me to tell you exactly what job to do next
You're not willing to do uncomfortable self-reflection

This workshop gives you exposure to the Career Change Framework and your actual first step. What you do with it afterwards is up to you.

But at least you'll have something. A direction. A starting point. Some momentum.

And honestly? That's infinitely better than where you are right now—stuck in the same thinking loop, reading the same career change articles, telling yourself "maybe next month."

The Details:

📅 Friday, 30th January | 12:00pm AEST

⏰ 90 minutes online (Zoom)

💰 $29 AUD

🎥 Recording available if you can't make it live. Click on the link below to register: