On-going skill for life
Navigating a career transition to do work you love, is not a one-time affair. Since, having work that fits you is an ongoing process of adjustment as you evolve and grow.
Learning the skill of listening to the truest, most authentic part of yourself is vital to having a satisfying and fulfilling career. It will help you navigate through all the decisions you will make over your working life. So it’s a good idea to start early learning how to deeply connect to yourself, beyond the superficial chatter of your mind, to listen to the whole of you.
How you got here
If you’re in a career that doesn’t fit who you are, it’s quite likely your rational thinking is what got you here.
It was perhaps the logical or sensible choice you took, a path conditioned by your thinking at the time influenced by those around you, and limitations about what you believed about yourself.
But now you find yourself in a situation where you’re not happy. Somehow what you thought you wanted didn’t in fact bring you the happiness that you thought it would.
In this article, we will explore the merits of a way of navigating career transition, which can keep up with you as you change.
Types of navigation
Essentially, there are two way that we make decisions related to our work. We can adopt a rational/logical planning approach or a more sensing/feeling intuitive way of navigating. Coloquially we could say we are either using our head or our heart/gut.
Logical Planning: A Structured Approach
Logical planning is a methodical, step-by-step approach to achieving goals. It involves relying on analysis, measurable outcomes, and rational decision-making to create a clear, predictable path. It’s rooted in logic, data, and linear thinking.
Key Characteristics of Logical Planning
- Focus on external factors: Prioritizes data, trends, and external validation over internal feelings.
- Predictability: Plans are designed to minimize uncertainty by defining specific milestones and deadlines.
- Control-oriented: Success is achieved through careful preparation and risk management.
- Outcome-driven: The emphasis is on reaching predefined goals within a specific timeframe.
Intuitive Navigation: A Fluid Approach
Intuitive navigation is a dynamic, flexible approach that relies on inner wisdom, creativity, and responsiveness to the present moment. It’s guided by feelings, instincts, and subtle signals rather than rigid frameworks or external data.
Key Characteristics of Intuitive Navigation:
- Focus on internal signals: Listens to gut feelings, emotions, and inner knowing to guide decisions.
- Flexibility: Allows for spontaneous course corrections based on new insights or changes.
- Trust-oriented: Relies on self-trust and faith in the process rather than controlling every outcome.
- Process-focused: Emphasis is on the journey and alignment with purpose, not just the end goal.
Logical Planning vs Intuitive Navigation
Here’s a comparison table of the two approaches, identifying their strengths and weaknesses.
| Aspect | Logical Planning | Intuitive Navigation |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | External (data, analysis, measurable goals) | Internal (feelings, instincts, inner guidance) |
| Approach | Structured, linear, and controlled | Flexible, dynamic, and adaptive |
| Basis of Decision-Making | Facts, logic, and predictability | Emotions, creativity, and trust |
| Success Criteria | Meeting predefined outcomes | Staying aligned with purpose and values |
| Best Environment | Stable, predictable environments when tasks and goals defined | Complex or uncertain situations with no clear path |
| Strengths | Clear, measurable, and reliable | Innovative, adaptive, and deeply personal |
| Weaknesses | Rigid, prone to over-analysis. May overlook emotional, instinctive, or creative insights. | Ambiguous, hard to measure. Can be difficult for those who struggle with ambiguity or self-doubt. |
How They Complement Each Other
It’s not that one is necessarily better than the other. Both approaches are valuable and can be combined for maximum effectiveness. For example, intuitive navigation can provide the overarching direction, aligned to personal values and changing circumstances, while logical planning helps to develop and execute a path on the “hunches” of the intuitive insights.
The Voice of Reason
The reason why so many people remain unhappy in their work is often out of fear. We’ve opted for the predictable, safe path, listening to the voice of reason. However, this has been at the expense of our deep fulfilment.
We’ve been too scared to use our hearts (our intuitive knowing) to navigate. We’ve settled for what our heads are telling us, perhaps because we didn’t know how to do anything else.
The issue is when we do that, we are disconnected from the sensing/feeling part, and although on paper things can seem good, deeper down we are unhappy because in the end , we are emotional beings. We are looking to feel a certain way, so ignoring our feeling sense even in career decision-making doesn’t work.
Happiness is a felt sense, not a thought
So, use the most appropriate part of yourself for the purpose it was designed. In many ways, we have the cart before the horse. By navigating our happiness with our heads only, we neglect the feeling part of ourselves and so no wonder we are unhappy.
Perhaps it is time to put the horse back before the cart!
Sailing into the unknown
When Columbus sailed west to get to Asia, only to discover the Americas, he didn’t have a map, at least not one that included the Americas.
Navigating to transition to a different career is a little bit like this. When your work doesn’t fit you, but you don’t quite know what would be fulfilling, you’re also venturing into the unknown, without a clear map.
And really, it can’t be any other way, since what you are seeking is not only another job but also to express new parts of you. This is as much an inner journey of self-discovery, as an outer one; a journey back to your authentic true self.
For this reason, if you try to use what you already know (the old you) to get there, you’ll only end up with a reconfiguration of what you already have! Figuring it out doesn’t work when it comes to making a major career transition. You cannot create the new with the same thinking, which is limited in its perception of the self and what’s possible, which got you to where you are.
You need a way to venture into the unknown and the you that you’re becoming. Having this awareness can certainly reduce the anxiety.
Despite the fact that you might be sailing into the unknown, there is an optimum way to navigate. However, you need an approach which is suitable for the journey you’re on. One which helps you include all of your intelligence, not just what your head tells you (often based in fear). Allowing you to integrate what you’ve been ignoring up to now, your intuitive inner knowing, your heart and your gut!
Greatest business leaders use Intuition
Many of the world’s greatest leaders have been known to use intuition as a critical tool in decision-making and guiding their organizations. Evidence of this can be found in anecdotal accounts, studies on leadership styles, and observations of their practices.
Here are some examples and insights:
Steve Jobs (Apple)
- Example: Jobs often spoke about the importance of trusting his intuition. He famously said, “Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.”
- Application: Jobs’ intuition guided decisions like creating the iPod and iPhone, products that revolutionized industries. His ability to sense what consumers would want before they even knew it themselves was central to Apple’s success.
Oprah Winfrey (OWN Network)
- Example: Winfrey attributes much of her success to her intuition. She has said, “My gut is my GPS.”
- Application: She often made business and creative decisions based on what felt right, such as ending “The Oprah Winfrey Show” at its peak to pursue other projects.
Richard Branson (Virgin Group)
- Example: Branson emphasizes the importance of following one’s instincts, even when the logical path seems uncertain.
- Application: His decision to diversify Virgin Group into various industries, including airlines and space travel, was driven by his gut feelings about market opportunities and trends.
Albert Einstein
- Example: Though not a corporate leader, Einstein’s insight resonates deeply with intuitive decision-making. He said, “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant.”
- Relevance: Many of us have this relationship inverted. Led by the rational mind we wonder why we are unhappy.
Although the examples presented here point to intuition being a vital capacity for leadership within organisations, it can have an even greater impact when we use it for self-leadership, i.e. to guide ourselves in all areas of our lives.
Direction vs Destination
When transitioning career or starting a new business, since you’re entering uncharted territory, navigating with a sense of Direction and a compass (Navigation) is a more suitable approach to finding your way, rather than a fixed end destination and a map to get there.
This is because of the unknowns in this situation. You are on a journey of self-discovery, finding what deeply motivates and satisfies you, clearing out blocks to what you thought was possible and along with discovering the many types of roles and options available to you, that you hadn’t previously imagined.
This differs from having a Destination as an end-point, which is a fixed idea about where you’re going, derived from your past experience, analysis, and imagination. This is a results-based approach, linked to rational decision-making where you either get to your destination or you don’t.
In comparison, Direction is a heading that you want to explore based on self-knowledge and intuitions on what would be satisfying. Using Direction is a heuristic approach which focuses on the process.
Integrate all of your intelligence
Navigating a career transition requires more than just rational planning; it calls for reconnecting with your emotional and instinctual intelligence to guide you through the uncertainty. By balancing logical strategies with your inner wisdom, you can embark on a journey of self-discovery that aligns your work with your true self.
This process not only leads to a more fulfilling career, but also empowers you to create a life that reflects your deepest values and aspirations.
My Personal Story
I started my career in IT, following a path that seemed logical and secure. But as time passed, I felt a growing dissonance between my work and my deeper desires. The environment I was in drained me, and no matter how much I tried to adapt, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was meant for something different. even though I felt trapped by fear and financial obligations. My mind kept spinning in circles, trying to “figure out” a solution, but the more I relied on rational thinking alone, the more stuck I felt.
It was only when I began listening to the signals from within—my body, emotions, and persistent inner yearning—that I found the courage to explore new horizons.
By tuning into my intuition, I discovered small but meaningful steps forward. I experimented with activities that sparked joy and volunteered in creative and therapeutic settings. These choices, though seemingly minor at the time, opened doors to deeper self-awareness and clarity about what mattered most to me. I eventually left IT and followed my instincts, even when they led me to unexpected places, like a remote Scottish island, that I had once dismissed as “not for me”, to learn about Mindfulness.
The process wasn’t straightforward, and I had to let go of preconceived notions about where I “should” be heading. But slowing down, tuning into my body, and practising mindfulness helped me find clarity and reconnect with my inner compass.
Through this process, I realized that intuition often reveals itself through subtle nudges rather than grand revelations. It’s about learning to trust yourself, taking one step at a time, and staying open to where life leads you—even when the destination is unclear.
Learnings from Experience
Looking back, I can see how intuition guided me to environments and opportunities that nurtured my evolution, ultimately leading me to where I am today: a Transformational Career Transition Coach helping professionals navigate their transitions to work with meaning and purpose.
Trusting my inner wisdom and embracing the unknown, I discovered work that aligns with my authentic self.
Intuitive Approach to Career Transition
Learning to listen to their intuitive knowing is part of the structured coaching process I take my clients through to be able to transition career with confidence.
My approach draws on my personal experience, combining Mindfulness, exercises for Self-reflection, and actionable experiments to help clients uncover and validate what truly aligns with their values and aspirations.
There are three principal parts in this methodology, namely: Direction, Navigation (compass), Momentum / Inertia.
- Navigation – Developing the skills to attune to yourself, to listen to the whole you and your intelligence, beyond just the rational.
- Direction – Breaking down the heading into parts, using a step-by-step process to explore what’s important to you and create a picture of your direction and mission.
- Momentum / Inertia – Uncover deep-seated blocks, allowing you to get in touch with suppressed emotions, feel through, and release them, to recover the energy and creativity to move forward.
By embracing this approach, you too can transition to a career that reflects who you are at your core, leading to fulfillment and purpose along the way.
If you’d like to get a taste of how I can help you, get in touch to book an Introductory Consultation Call.
Photo by Jordan Steranka on Unsplash
