Strategic Pause: A More Deliberate Approach to Career Transitions

I have been a little quieter recently, taking time to do the same work I encourage in my coaching: stepping back and reflecting.

Pausing Before the Next Chapter

A few years ago, I made a big transition, leaving a rewarding career to build my own coaching and consulting business. It was the right thing and a decision I am thankful for mapping out with the support of an Executive Coach.

The great thing about life, is that it is never linear and are careers can often be “squiggly”, so recently, a shift in my consultancy work prompted me to pause and ask myself:

• How do I envision my life in twenty years?  

• How do I want to look back on this time, and what do I want to be filling it with?

• And most importantly, where do I add the most value? (my purpose)

  
  

A Fresh Perspective

Something Harry Styles said in a recent BBC interview really resonated. After years on stage, he consciously put himself back into the audience to reconnect with the experience from the other side. That perspective shift helped him rediscover what mattered and why he started in the first place.

In a similar way, as part of my CPD as a coach, I put myself back in the coachee seat. I experienced the power of coaching from the other side reminded me how impactful space, challenge, and perspective can be. The reflection reinforced a sense of fulfilment and allowed me to focus on doing my best work.

Three Questions That Mattered

Three powerful questions came up for me:

• Am I learning?

• Am I making an impact and maximising my natural strengths? (The things we are good at are often the things which give us energy.)

• Do I have alignment between what matters most across my work and my life?

This process brought me back to what I truly enjoy: supporting individuals through coaching to excel, feel strengthened, and at the same time, lighter. It ALSO reaffirmed my passion for working with innovative, high-growth companies that are solving meaningful, unsolved problems for their customers (more to come on this space).

Stepping back is not losing momentum. It is ensuring the next step forward is in the right direction.

If there’s something on your mind you haven’t spoken out loud yet, or if you’re navigating a challenge or career transition, or simply want to catch up, I would be delighted to connect.