How to Pivot to Passion & Purpose

Many of the senior leaders I coach have reached the top, achieved a huge amount in their field and find themselves at the top of the ladder asking, what’s next? What do I do now?

It’s a place I found myself before my pivot to my new career. It’s a place that can be unsettling.

If you’ve always had another rung on the ladder to climb, it’s strange and, for some, it can create feelings of ‘it’s all over’ and ‘I’m over the hill’.

I’m here to say ‘whoa there Nelly, let’s not get out the pipe and slippers just yet because there’s plenty of life in the ol’ metaphorical dog yet’.

Because once you reach the top in any given field, you tend to have at least a couple of decades of professional experience and expertise under your belt, as well as the wisdom that comes from a lot of life experience.

You could pretty much do or handle most things that were thrown at you. They may not necessarily be what you want to do but you could work it out and do it. Am I right? (Yes, Tracy)

I think this crossroads is a wonderful opportunity to stop and work out how to pivot to a role (or roles) centred around your purpose and passions.

And in order to do this, the real questions you have to tackle are what would be the most fulfilling and enjoyable use of your time? And how best to use that expertise and experience to have an impact you find meaningful?

Don’t worry too much about the profit bit just yet. I know we all have bills to pay. But work out these bits first:

Purpose: ask your self, what do I find a good use of my time? What impact do I find meaningful? What have I achieved that I’ve found the most satisfying?

Passion: ask yourself, what do I really love to do, what bits of my day or my job are the most energising and enjoyable? If I could wave a magic wand, what would I be doing every day?

Once you’ve worked on those two, ask yourself, what would be the manifestation or manifestations of putting those two things together? What would a life look like where you got to do both things combined?

I often think those two things together are like the hub of a bicycle and the different spokes coming from that hub are the manifestations of that.

For me, at my hub, it’s enlightening, empowering and enhancing the lives & careers of others and the different manifestations are in the coaching and mentoring work I do, the career confidence group courses, the Yoga In the Boardroom etc.

So what are yours?

How many spokes can you think of?

Connect with me, I would love to know.

Be Fearlessly You. Get to know your purpose. It takes work but it’s worth it.

Tracy