Your #1 Career Change Roadblock (And How to Finally Overcome It)

Feeling that familiar tug telling you "it's time to make a change" but finding yourself stuck in endless excuses? It's a common situation for many of us—and it's not what you think that's holding you back.

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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 control to change.

After coaching hundreds of professionals through career transitions, I've discovered the real culprit behind career paralysis. Understanding this one concept could be the difference between staying stuck and finally moving forward.

The Invisible Roadblock:

"Yes, But..."

Let me paint a familiar picture:

You see a job posting that genuinely excites you. For a moment, you feel that spark of possibility. But within seconds, your brain kicks in:

"Yes, but I don't have enough experience"

"Yes, but I'd probably have to take a pay cut"

"Yes, but what if it's worse than my current job?"

This "yes, but" response isn't occasional self-doubt—it's an automatic defence mechanism that activates every time you consider change. And it's incredibly sophisticated at keeping you exactly where you are.

Why This Hit Me So Hard

I need to share something personal here. I've always been an action-taker with strong "executing" talents—Achiever, Responsibility, Arranger. I make lists and work through them, see the future clearly, and make things happen.

Yet during my own career change journey, I found myself completely stuck for nearly ten years.

For someone who thrives on momentum, this paralysis was devastating. That's when I realised something profound: the "yes, but" response doesn't discriminate. It doesn't matter how driven you are or how successful you've been—these mental barriers can stop anyone in their tracks.

Your Brain Thinks It's Helping

Here's the irony: while your brain protects you from the imagined risks of change, it exposes you to the very real risk of staying stuck in work that's draining your energy, stifling your potential, and impacting every area of your life.

What if the biggest risk isn't making a change? What if it's doing nothing at all?

Meet Your Career Saboteurs

To understand why this happens, we need to discuss what I call "saboteurs"—internal voices that supposedly keep you safe but actually hold you back from your full potential.

I discovered my saboteurs through the Positive Intelligence assessment. According to founder Shirzad Chamine,

"Every day your mind is sabotaging your performance, wellbeing, and relationships. All negative emotions, including stress, result from self-sabotage."

My Personal Saboteur Profile

My loudest saboteur is the Hyper-Achiever (scoring 7.5/10), directly linked to my top strengths. During my career change, this translated to thoughts like:

"I can't start at the bottom after 20 years of expertise"

"What if I'm not immediately successful? That would prove I made the wrong decision"

My Controller saboteur (6.3/10) showed up as:

"I need the perfect plan before making any move"

"I can't leave—the team depends on me"

See how strengths become twisted by fear?

My Strategic thinking became analysis paralysis.

My Responsibility became a chain keeping me tied to unfulfilling work.

My "Yes, But" Greatest Hits list

Recognise yourself in any of these?

"Yes, but the grass is always greener—it always looks better elsewhere but never is"

"Yes, but I've been here too long—20 years is too hard to change now"

"Yes, but jobs aren't out there right now with the economy/recession/uncertainty"

"Yes, but the benefits are too good to give up"

"Yes, but I don't want to make the wrong decision and regret it"

"Yes, but I don't have the qualifications—I'd need to completely retrain"

"Yes, but I don't have the energy for a career change right now"

That last one deserves special attention.

Yes, life pressures and hormonal changes impact energy—but ask yourself: Is your current job the very thing draining your energy?

When we work against our natural strengths in environments that don't suit us, it's like swimming upstream all day. Finding better alignment might be the key to getting energised BY work instead of depleted by it.

Breaking Free: From Leap to Exploration

Here's the crucial realisation: you're not being asked to make a huge career decision right now. Your saboteurs are reacting to an imaginary threat—the idea that exploring possibilities means immediately quitting and leaping into the unknown.

But career change doesn't work that way. You wouldn't buy a house without visiting properties and researching neighbourhoods, right?

Shift Your Mindset

Instead of asking "Should I leave my job?" ask "What would I like to learn about myself and my options?"

This reframes career change from a risky leap to intelligent research. Your saboteurs calm down because they're not triggered by curiosity the way they are by threats of major change.

Start with questions like:

What are my core strengths and how could they apply elsewhere?

What work energises me versus what drains me?

What kind of environment helps me thrive?

What problems do I feel naturally drawn to solve?

What would I do if I knew I couldn't fail?

The Power of Optimism and Curiosity

Two qualities essential for successful career repositioning are optimism (seeing possibilities instead of barriers) and curiosity (asking questions instead of accepting assumptions).

Don't naturally have these? No problem—borrow them from others through coaches, mentors, career buddies, books, or podcasts.

Remember: Look for possibilities, not barriers. Make this your mantra.

Your 5-Step Action Plan

Ready to overcome the "yes, but" roadblock? Here's your step-by-step guide:

1: Become Aware

Pay attention to your internal dialogue. When thinking about career possibilities, what "yes, but" statements pop up? Write them down without judgment. You can't change patterns you're not aware of.

2: Identify Your Saboteurs

Take the saboteurs assessment to understand which voices are strongest for you. This helps you recognise patterns and develop specific management strategies.

3: Reframe the Conversation

Stop asking "Should I change careers?" Start asking "What would I like to learn about myself and my options?" This shifts you from threatening decision-making to safe exploration.

4: Take One Small Step

Not a big leap—one small step:

• Have a conversation with someone in a field that interests you

• Take a strengths assessment to understand your natural talents

• Read one article about an industry you're curious about

• Attend a networking event or webinar

• Continue consuming career development content

5: Find Your Support System

Whether it's a coach, career change group, trusted mentor, or supportive friend—ensure someone's in your corner providing optimism and curiosity when yours runs low.

The Goal Isn't Perfection—It's Progress

You won't eliminate your saboteurs (they've been with you too long), but you can recognise when they're driving and gently take back control. Thank them for trying to keep you safe, then consciously choose to take one small step forward anyway.

The biggest risk isn't making a change—it's staying stuck in work that doesn't fulfil you, because that impacts your relationships, health, sense of purpose, and overall happiness.

You deserve work that energises you, uses your best talents, and makes meaningful contribution. But you'll never find it if "yes, but" responses keep you frozen.

Your Next Chapter Starts Now

Every person who has made a successful career change started exactly where you are right now. They had doubts, fears, and plenty of "yes, but" statements.

The difference?

At some point, they decided to take one small step forward despite those voices.

That step might have been as simple as one conversation, one event, or working with a coach.

But it created momentum, and momentum transforms possibility into reality. Until next time, keep following that inkling... Binny

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Transforming teams via tailor-made coaching programs  Work is being reimagined... The question isn’t if change is coming—it’s how you’ll navigate it. The future is yours to define.

That’s where I come in. Through a powerful blend of Strengths, Executive, and Career Coaching, I help professionals not just adapt, but thrive.

The workplace is transforming.

With 59% of employees quietly disengaged and 18% actively seeking an exit (Gallup, 2023), job dissatisfaction is at an all-time high.

You already have unique talents—sometimes, they just need to be uncovered.

With the right coaching, skills and knowledge you can turn those talents into strengths, fuelling the confidence to embrace career shifts and workplace change with clarity and purpose.

Empowering you to design your work future.

I’m Binny Langler, your lead coach, dedicated to helping individuals and teams thrive. Founder & Director of The Inkling Effect, with over 20 years of experience coaching professionals to discover and apply their unique strengths to create more

fulfilling and meaningful work.

A certified Executive, Gallup Global Strengths Coach & Career Change Coach - with a Masters of Entrepreneurship & Innovation.