Career Leadership
Who’s really in charge of your career—you or everyone else?
In 2004 I stood at a career crossroad.
I was just offered an amazing job at one of the big 4 accounting firms. I studied economics and was in a third year of my university. This was a rare opportunity to start my corporate career with a bang.
But there was another, riskier option - apply for a leadership role at a student organization I spent the last 3 years working in besides my studies. If elected, I would lead a full time team, serve 200 people across my country and represent us in a global association of over 100 member countries.
There was no guarantee I’d succeed - there would be a competitive election, and my unorthodox path in the organization hadn’t exactly set me up as the frontrunner.
The first path was safe, logical, and laid out before me. The second path was uncertain, but it aligned with my values, purpose, and vision for the impact I wanted to make.
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get swept along by the expectations of others—your friends, social media, family, or even society at large.
But what if the key to a fulfilling career lies not in following the script, but in rewriting it?
Over the last 20+ years of coaching business leaders and professionals, I’ve noticed a clear divide: some people take control of their careers, shaping them with intention from the inside out.
Others rely on the guidance of their environment, believing that success will come if they simply keep up with outside expectations.
The inside-out approach is about knowing what matters to you, envisioning your ideal future, and choosing or creating opportunities aligned with your aspirations. It’s about leading your career, not just following where it takes you.
The outside-in approach seems safer and easier but often leaves you at the mercy of others’ agendas, market shifts, and the ever-changing dynamics of the workplace.
When was the last time you were truly intentional about designing your career?
The world of work is evolving rapidly, and the traditional career path is becoming a thing of the past. As companies revise their business models in view of external disruption, their structures and career trajectories shift as well.
Some people say that many of the top 10 jobs in 2030, do not yet exist.
If you’re ready to take control of your career and design it on your own terms, I invite you to join me this Thursday for a private, free event where I’ll share a powerful framework that will help you intentionally design your next career step.
P.S. If you guessed that I took the leap, you’re right, I did.
