You have three potential career paths...

If you’re in an active job search, you may be trying to find that one perfect path or that one perfect role to jump into. And you're all up in your head about making this super important decision. It's a life-changing decision.

I see you and I know you’re frustrated. Let's release that pressure valve just a wee bit.

Let me be clear: There is no one perfect path for you. There is not one right next step.

You have a lot of options. There are many paths, many roles that could work. And it will take getting into action around these options to figure out which will be the best fit.

In my own career transition, I tried three different paths before I landed on coaching. All at once, I experimented with digital marketing consulting (the safe path), a baby registry startup called Rock That Registry (I even had the coolest logo) and Coaching (which felt scary, but also like a calling).

I started heading down all of these paths at one time and within months I realized I had the most momentum and drive on the coaching path. I let the other two fade away and doubled down on my coach training and business building.

As a coach, I later read the book Designing Your Life, by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, which offers up an approach that marries design thinking and career pathing. I was stunned to see this strategy of choosing three paths was one they recommend as part of their process.

Well, hey, I just did that instinctively which reinforced for me that I'm pretty good at all this career transition stuff. Another clue that helped me decide to work with women making similar transitions.

Many of my clients feel guilty about leaving a career path they've been on for quite awhile. So, I encourage them to choose the safe path, a similar role to what they have now as one of their three paths. Their bodies always let them know if they want to continue down this path.

On my safe path, I would look down at the digital marketing proposals I was writing and say...I don't want to do this work! I felt dread in my bones before sharing it with the client. I listened to my body on this one.

If we work together, I will help you identify your three paths that may change over time.

One may fade and a new one may enter as you continue to have conversations and explore.

I love this approach because it feels broad enough that you can experiment and play in your search and structured enough that you don’t feel untethered and overwhelmed by too many options.

Feel free to write back to let me know what you’re thinking about for your three paths and if you’d like to get some support in expanding your mind to go beyond the safe things you’ve always done - you can also book a complimentary Clarity Call to discuss at rachelbgarrett.com/clarity.

Know Your Numbers Before Your Pivot

As part of my downtime during the Summer of Rest, I do have some adulting maintenance on my list of goals. Catching up on 2.5 years of doctor’s appointments, opening and shredding the non-priority envelopes piling up on the kitchen counter and my personal favorite–recalibrating my financial goals for the rest of 2022.

For those of you who have been following along for a while now, you may remember I’m a bit of a financial tracking nerd. I’ve been using the tool, You Need A Budget (YNAB) for about 6 years in my personal finances (and I first wrote about in 2017!). This year I’ve also implemented a Profit First approach in my business.

All to say, I’m deeply grounded in my numbers. This helps me:

1. Spend within my means.

2. Set aside money for taxes and annual expenses throughout the year so I’m not in a money crunch when these bills come due.

3. Understand my financial needs and responsibilities so I know if and when I can pivot.

4. Intentionally save 2% of my earnings for giving to causes that are important to me.

5. Move through my fears around money–holding onto it, growing it, trusting myself when it comes to managing it.

So, this past weekend, I stepped into some honesty about my year to date and got clear on what I need to do in order to meet my goals.

And the truth was the relief I needed. I know exactly what I need to do with my current offerings to get where I want to be.

My internalized hustle culture says…but you can do more. It can be bigger. You can create something new.

Yet right now, my rest and this different pace is more important to me than more and bigger and new. This is the 2022 pivot.

As part of my financial puzzle, I’ve allocated my giving funds to a monthly donation for the National Network of Abortion Funds. The pride of knowing a percentage of my earnings will always go to the causes I fight for within my work–makes me feel like the business itself is a vehicle aligned with my values on multiple fronts.

This is part of the work I help clients master. We answer the questions…

What does a life of meaning look like to you?

What kind of work does that include?

What are the true numbers that could facilitate that life?

Now, let’s talk about how to get you there!

All of our work together is grounded in the reality of your life and your set of variables. Yet, we need to say the hard things–the truth about where you are right now so we can get you on the road to being where you want to be.

I’d love to help you get clear on your vision for a meaningful life and what you’ll need to make your big shift happen.

How to Do Less Right Now

Last week, I wrote about rest.

I wrote about it because 1) I’m committed to writing weekly and 2) It was the only honest truth about where I was/am right now.

And then…surprise! It received the most attention of all the writing I’ve shared in many months.

My big takeaway: people are damn tired.

And you’re not just tired. You’re depleted, exhausted. Disconnected from joy, creativity and possibilities.

I continue to see you, stand with you and advocate for your recharge.

Part of normalizing rest is offering transparency. In my own experiment of doing less, I’m tracking to have a higher revenue month than those where I was “working through it” and pushing the boulder up the hill.

I’m leading calls with potential clients refreshed and ready to deliver results.

I’m showing up with presence and curiosity, guiding my Chief groups through discussions around intense leadership challenges.

Three of my clients received job offers in the past week! While that’s not truly about MY results, it doesn’t make me any less excited about this experiment!

One resource that can be helpful for you as you run your own experiment is this podcast episode from Hidden Brain: Do Less (shared by a client - thank you!!).

In it, Engineer and Author, Leidy Klotz offers up the idea of creating a “stop-doing list” in addition to your to-do list. He recommends that you should have an equal amount of things you want to stop doing as you do on your to-do list.

While I haven’t been able to accomplish that yet, I have clearly written on my stop-doing list:

1. Create a new program or course.

2. Take on clients who are not a fit for me.

3. Work 40+ hours.

4. Work on the low priority tasks before the high priority deeper work.

I’ve been walking around with this list in my mind for a few weeks now, but putting it down on paper has kept me true to what I want for the summer. Especially, as an entrepreneur with Activator as my #2 Clifton Strength (where my Clifton nerds at?). I LOVE to create new things. Even when I have a hunch they may not be the right things for my business or me. Cutting this out and focusing on the great programs I already have in place has already been a deeply felt lesson.

If you want to strategize on how you can recharge this summer, sign up for a single session and we’ll help you with your "Do Less" Plan.

How I'm Recharging This Summer

I’m resting.

I’m owning that this year has been exhausting.

I’m acknowledging that the direction of our country is disconcerting and I need time to regroup before I put together a plan of action for how I will do my part.

This year (so far) in business has been exciting and meaningful – and there’s also been a lot of change and program launches and growth.

My hunger for a recharge is stronger now than in the past few summers.

So I’m listening.

I’m not launching any new programs. (She says with a deep exhale.)

I’m focused on my 1:1 clients, sharing the Elevator Pitch beauty of my Summer Bundle, wrapping up powerfully with my current cohort of Career Command Four-Month Shift and guiding my three Chief groups through their leadership growth.

Instead of launching new programs, I’m exercising, meeting friends and colleagues for many coffees, seeing art and theater and all of NYC’s offerings I forget to embrace when I’m too busy and overwhelmed.

I’m leaning into all that energizes me.

And I’m releasing the shame that naturally comes up from the thoughts and fears that tell me - You’re not doing enough! Do. Do. Do.

I’ve done a lot. I’m doing enough. And I will do more when I’ve rested.

How will you be resting this summer? How will you acknowledge all that you’ve accomplished in an intense moment in time? How will you listen to your hunger and release your shame–in whatever flavor it appears right now?