The first time I was let go, I learned about it at the office copier. I went to copy a report and found a document that had me listed on the “executive not staying” list.
I’ve been laid off, let go, downsized or right-sized three times. I’ve also intentionally left roles when life gave me a little (or big) nudge that it was time for a change.
Losing or leaving a job is a significant transition filled with unknowns. I call these types of life transitions pivots, and knowing how to navigate them is important.
As most of us have experienced, career pivots can affect your life in positive or negative ways. How you manage the pivot can make a difference. I encourage you to look at a career change as an opportunity to consider new options, including entrepreneurship.
It’s important to be ready for a pivot, whether it’s by necessity—those unexpected job losses—or by choice, when your intuition tells you it’s time for a change.
Pivoting by necessity means you don’t have a choice or control over the change. Like my copier moment. Or the time I had a meeting scheduled with the human resources department and was told my job was being eliminated.
Career pivots can also happen by choice. Sometimes intuition or a major life event leads you to make a change. When my mother’s health declined after a cancer diagnosis, I chose to change jobs so I could have more flexibility to support her.
Both types of pivots can bring significant stress because you suddenly have to figure out what comes next. Whether it’s a career shift or an intentional decision to become an entrepreneur, pivots can be disorienting. But they’re also full of potential, giving you a chance to reassess what you want and where you want to go.
While career pivots can be challenging, there are three ways to navigate them:
- Mindset shift: Move from fear of change to curiosity about what’s next.
- Confidence: Own your story and your next steps.
- Your North Star: Identify what matters most to you and use it to guide your decisions.
Mindset shift: the power of imagination
A mindset shift can help you move from fearing change to thinking about what might be possible. When you’re facing a pivot, it’s easy to focus on everything that could go wrong. Instead, step back and take a broader view of your life.
Use your imagination to consider what could be next. Ask yourself, “How might this pivot improve my life?”
This is when you stop asking, “What if it doesn’t work out?” and start asking, “What if it does?”
Ideas to help shift your mindset:
- Try a possibility practice. Close your eyes and remember a time when you had a job you loved. What did you enjoy most about it?
- Talk to people who have made a change. Make a list of people you know who have started new roles or their own companies. Schedule time with them and ask about their experiences and what they learned.
Confidence: own your story
When you face a pivot, it’s common to lose confidence. You might wonder what you did to cause the change or start doubting your abilities. Owning your story can help you regain perspective and move forward. Remember that one job or one career transition doesn’t define your entire career. You’ve accomplished things, developed skills and learned from your experiences. Don’t lose sight of those things just because your circumstances have changed.
Ideas to regain confidence:
- Create a personal highlight reel. You’ve done great things in your career and have a lot to be proud of. Keep a list of your successes and review it when you need a reminder of what you bring to the table.
- Make a plan for your next steps. You don’t need to have everything figured out. Create a simple plan that identifies your immediate priorities and gives you a direction to work toward.
Your North Star: find your guiding path
Before you can pivot with purpose, you need to know what you’re pivoting toward. Your North Star is a way to identify what matters most to you and use those priorities to guide your decisions.
Ideas to define your North Star:
- Define your top three to five values. Ask yourself what matters most to you. Is it family, friends, career, making a difference, health or something else? Your values can help guide the type of job you pursue, including entrepreneurship.
- Design your ideal day. Think about how you want to spend your time and who you want to spend it with. Do you want early morning meetings and a traditional office, or would you rather set your own schedule and work remotely? Thinking about your ideal day can help you identify what you want your next chapter to look like.
Making your career pivot work
Career changes don’t always happen on your terms. Sometimes you suddenly discover your job is ending. Other times, life gives you a reason to make a change yourself. Either way, a pivot doesn’t have to mean starting over. You bring your experience, skills and knowledge with you.
Take the time to shift your mindset, recognize what you’ve accomplished and get clear on what matters to you. You may not know exactly where the next step will lead, but you can make that step with a better understanding of what you want.
About the author
Jen Rigley is a TEDx speaker, best-selling author, and internationally recognized leader in women’s empowerment and midlife transformation. As the founder of Flourishing Over Fifty®, Jen has inspired women worldwide to heal from adversity and rediscover joy using her proprietary Flourish Journey® framework. With a background as a top sales and marketing executive for both start-ups and Fortune 500 clients, Jen brings strategic clarity and heartfelt storytelling to every stage and page.
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