HR Executive | Fmr Goldman Sachs | Startup Advisor | Community Builder | Connector
Rediscovering Passion: The Power of a Career Pivot Last summer, on a rainy Thursday evening, I found myself at an all too familiar crossroads - standing on the street at the end of the work day feeling completely and utterly drained. This particular evening, I was planning on attending a networking event that I had been looking forward to all week. But in that moment, I realized I had nothing left to give. Exhausted and burnt out, I spent 20 minutes wrestling with my dwindling energy, only to accept the fact that I couldn’t muster up the strength to attend. As I reflect back on that moment, it was a strong signal of what was to come. Lately, I had been contemplating why feeling depleted at the end of my work days had become so commonplace, especially because I still clearly remembered the times where I ended my days fully energized. Had I lost my love for my craft? Was my passion fading away? At times, it certainly felt like it. I’ve come to realize that the pattern I had been experiencing wasn’t about the loss of passion, but rather about how I was expressing it. I needed a major shift, a new context in which to apply my love for what I do. Later that summer, I decided it was time for a big change - a total reinvention of how I engage with my profession. The transition was challenging, pushing me out of my comfort zone into a realm of uncertainty. Yet, it was also exhilarating, rekindling my curiosity and injecting newfound vitality into my daily work. This career pivot transformed my exhaustion into enthusiasm. I share this story in the hopes that it will inspire someone else who is also struggling. If you’re also on the brink, questioning your passion, consider this: A change in direction could be the very spark you need. To my fellow professionals who resonate with this narrative: You’re not alone. If you’re contemplating what’s next and need someone to talk to, I’m here for you. Reach out and let’s share insights from our journeys and explore what the future could hold.
Thank you for sharing this, David. This happens far too often in our field, heightened recently by the significant uptick in HR engagement as a result of the pandemic, but is rarely discussed. I have been in this position several times over my career and couldn’t agree more that sometimes an uncomfortable shift is needed to rekindle that spark. Kudos to you for recognizing your inner voice, listening to it and acting on it! Let’s hope this post/discussions sparks more of this dialogue in our profession. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you for sharing David. This feeling seems to be quite common these days and it can be a good thing. Gone are the days, where we stick to one career and one employer for life. People are living longer, their interests are diverse, our possibilities today are endless. We can have multiple careers in our lives and even work on multiple ventures at the same time. It is good to recognise when you come to the end of a chapter and are ready to start a new one. Life is a journey. We will be taking twists and turns and that makes it beautiful.
David Landman, Ph.D. Appreciate you sharing your story with a broader audience and for your words of encouragement. You may already be seeing this, but I also think that many of the skills and traits that have enabled you to be successful so far in life will continue to do so in this next stage, but perhaps just in different ways. I've found that doing that deep internal work can be really hard, take a lot of work, but over the long run, leads to a far richer life. Over the years, I've found Herminia Ibarra's work on working identity really helpful in sorting the nuance of this all. Nicely done!
Thank you for always sharing so honestly and openly. Appreciate how you described your change as "a total reinvention of how [you] engage with [your] profession". In my career path, I've already made several shifts in a short amount of time. Each time, I was terrified. Knowing that even someone with such a longstanding, established career at a most prestigious firm took a huge step out of their comfort zone is incredibly reassuring and inspiring.
David - What a great post. I know you and have chatted about similar themes, but you brought a new level of articulation and clarity to them. I've often thought that it takes more courage to stop doing something than it does to start something, and your choice is so courageous. I imagine this resonates with many, and I hope it helps others pause and take stock as well. Looking forward to continuing our conversations about what might be next.
Wow - you captured it and cut deep, David Landman, Ph.D.! What I love about what you shared here is that it isn't that you couldn't give, but that you needed to give in a different way in order to be the best version of yourself. Having spent time with you in the last few months, your energy and passion for the people space is palpable and inspirational, and I am so excited you are combating that burnout and getting back to contributing to the world of people & talent in such meaningful ways!
Thanks for sharing your story. From the conversations we've had, it is clear you needed this change and I know many others need to make a similar change, but are stuck in fear of not knowing what is next.
Very well said and a good reminder to listen to your gut and trust your inner voice.
Organizational Alchemist
6moDavid, this definitely resonates with me. I think it is important to pay attention to those inner shifts we experience as our passion, energy, attention, and - eventually - intention nudge us to make a change. In my case, every time I have made a career shift, including my most recent one, I experienced months of turbulence, where things just didn’t feel right, work was just work and I found myself looking for a new setting for my passion and energy to take root. When we listen to our whole selves, remain curious about what is becoming, and are willing to ask “what if…?” opportunities arise. Thanks for sharing your journey!