Have you ever looked at your career and thought, “How did I actually end up here?”

You’ve worked hard, progressed and taken opportunities, but perhaps your career has been shaped more by what happened around you than by what you deliberately chose.

In this episode, Sarah explores five signs that your career may have become reactive rather than intentional, and shares three simple ways to start taking back control.

You’ll discover why being successful at your job isn’t the same as actively managing your career, why your definition of success needs to evolve, and why you don’t need to have all the answers before you start exploring what could come next.

Sarah also introduces her free 7-Day Career Reset, starting 25 September, designed to help you step back, get clearer about what you want and create a practical 90-day career plan.

In this episode

• Why successful careers can still happen somewhat by accident
• The danger of letting the next opportunity set your career agenda
• Why your definition of career success can change over time
• Why waiting to feel completely ready can keep you stuck
• The difference between doing a great job and managing your career
• Why being too busy to think about your career can become a career problem
• Three ways to take back more control of your career
• How the 7-Day Career Reset can help you create space to think about what’s next

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to Unstuck & Unstoppable

01:30 – How did I end up here? Why a successful career can still leave you questioning whether you’re on the right path.

03:00 – Sign 1: Your career is driven by the next opportunity What happens when promotions, recruiters and organisational changes are setting the agenda.

04:00 – Taking control through clarity Why knowing what you want makes it easier to recognise the right opportunities and say no to the wrong ones.

04:40 – Sign 2: You’re measuring success by someone else’s scorecard Why job title, salary and responsibility aren't necessarily the things that define career success for you now.

06:00 – Your career success criteria can change How your priorities can evolve as your career and life change.

07:30 – Sign 3: You’re waiting to feel ready Why waiting for more confidence, experience, clarity or time can lead to procrastination.

09:00 – Sign 4: You’re great at your job, but not at managing your career The difference between delivering brilliantly in your role and actively looking after your visibility, relationships, reputation and ambitions.

10:30 – Sign 5: You’re too busy to think about your career Why there will always be something competing for your attention and why you need to create space for career thinking.

11:45 – Three ways to take back control Make time for regular career thinking, get curious about what success means to you now, and create space before your next big career decision.

13:30 – Introducing the 7-Day Career Reset What’s included in Sarah’s free seven-day reset, starting 25 September.

15:00 – From career reflection to a 90-day plan How the Reset can help you move from thinking about your career to taking practical action.

16:00 – Final thoughts A reminder not to let your career simply drift and happen by accident.

Join the 7-Day Career Reset on 25 September.

Over seven days, you’ll get short coaching emails, a Career Clarity Planner and optional five-minute podcast coaching sessions to help you step back, get clearer about what you want and create a practical 90-day plan.

It takes just 10–15 minutes a day.

Find the link in the show notes and join Sarah and hundreds of other women taking some time to put their careers back on the agenda.

Useful Links

Sign Up for The 7 Day Career Reset

Sign up for Weekly Career Inspiration

Learn about Leadership & Advancement Coaching Programmes

Book a Free 121 Clarity Call

Join The Love What You Do Facebook Group

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn

Rate & Review the Podcast

If you found this episode of Unstuck & Unstoppable helpful, please do rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

If you're kind enough to leave a review, please do let Sarah know so she can say thank you. You can always reach her at: [email protected]

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Sign up For Free 7 Day Career Reset

Click Here to sign up for Free 7 Day Career Reset: https://www.careertreecoaching.co.uk/7-day-career-reset