Written by Jenna, Edited by Jess
If you’ve ever been at a crossroads – unsure of what to do next in career or in life – you’re not alone. I’ve been there. I remember feeling quite lost in my own career. I knew I was ready for a change, but the what, the where, the how? Total mystery. “I’ll keep thinking about it,” I told myself. “Do some soul-searching. It’ll come to me.”
Meanwhile, I had 37 tabs open at all times – LinkedIn, company websites, job postings, links to cozy sweatpants, Postmates (it was peak COVID after all) – but nothing was resonating. No “Eureka!” moment of clarity as I scrolled. Just more fog.
Reflecting on this time, here’s what I learned: Yes, we are thoughtful, intelligent humans. But it’s nearly impossible to think our way to the “right” answer. Why? Because all we have access to is the information we already know. And if you’re standing on the edge of something new, like I was, that old info might not be enough.
So how do we chip away at what might be next? We engage. Because more often than not, clarity comes from engagement. (1)
Eventually, instead of staying stuck behind my computer, I reached out to a career coach. She was amazing and those early meetings were transformative. Not because I left with a fully formed plan, but because I finally took a step.
And that’s what engagement looks like. Not a neatly drawn out five-year plan. Just one small action toward something that sparks curiosity.
It might look like:
Saying yes to the random invite
Reaching out to someone doing something that inspires you
Signing up for the class
Writing the email
Shadowing, volunteering, testing, creating, talking… doing!
These moments generate new information about what energizes you, what drains you, what comes naturally, and what’s simply not it. Data you can’t access when stuck in your head.
Clarity rarely shows up all at once. Instead, it arrives quietly, in the feedback loop that forms when you start trying things, noticing what resonates, and adjusting along the way.
✍️ Next step:
Write down 1-2 things you’ve been meaning to do, big or small. That step you’ve been putting off.
Then, ask a friend to hold you accountable to actually doing it.
(1) All credit to Marie Forleo for this mantra. She quotes this in her book Everything is Figureoutable.
Great advice !!!!!