My Now-or-Never Moment

I have trouble asking for help. When it came to my career, I knew I couldn’t continue to complain to friends and family and had to take responsibility for changing it, which meant overcoming many hurdles that I was reluctant or afraid to do. As I was pushing 40, I knew I wanted to make a significant career-defining change instead of just taking the next best thing, but I didn’t know where to start. I felt I was reaching a “now or never” moment in my life.

Then a colleague recommended working with a career coach. I was tentative at first but looked into it more and found Caroline. I scheduled a strategy session and was pleasantly surprised by her down-to-earth style and easy ability to listen and recall details of my story and experiences. I found myself opening up and sharing my insecurities and desires regarding my career.

Caroline was able to quickly process the information I provided, pull out key details or beliefs I hadn’t put—or avoided to put—importance on before, and zero in on what she was hearing and ask the questions I needed to be asked. I was playing around with many disperse ideas and plans, and through helpful exercises and direct conversations, she helped guide me toward key decisions I needed to make.

Before meeting Caroline, career planning was an afterthought, something that caused unwanted stress because I didn’t know how to move forward, which meant I kept on pushing it off for months, which turned into years. Something so important was ironically getting sidelined and deprioritized. The ability to take time away to focus was what I needed to make a change.

With Caroline’s coaching, I was able to own my “now or never” moment.

I zeroed in on the sector that really motivates me, discovered the inner leader and entrepreneur that I could be, and realized that a route towards academia was more about ego rather than a true goal. I also was able to identify my strengths and motivations and challenge myself to pursue them.

In the process, Caroline helped me to say no to an opportunity. I realized that the opportunity wouldn’t propel me forward at a time when I really wanted to make a meaningful change. I finally had the courage to embrace the uncertainty and believe in what’s ahead.

So I took a deep breath, crossed my fingers and continued to believe in the process and possibility of even better opportunities.

I grew my network and engaged with many people, which helped to further articulate my ambitions and interests. Through those conversations, I uncovered an entrepreneurial opportunity at a start-up in the area I wanted to specialize in and which gave me the leadership role I had been seeking. Caroline helped me navigate the opportunity, if and how it fit into what I wanted, and how to negotiate on key areas of work and life balance that I had identified as important.

I ended up accepting this exciting and interesting offer in a completely different kind of role and organization.

I’m finally taking the professional leap I had sought out, thanks to Caroline’s excellent coaching guidance and support.

— R.N., Fintech Start-up Founder