“I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.”

Lucille Ball

Do you ever think about the things you might regret in the future?

I was out at lunch today. Someone at the table asked about how my career is going.

Here we usually default to a generic response like “good”, “average”, or “bad” and list a few projects we have been working on, etc.

But at the moment, I feel like I am stuck in a strange limbo between two careers as I try to carve out a future life more aligned to my values and desired goals. 

• Are you balancing more than one career?

I find I am straddling one foot in my old career to pay the bills while I experiment in a new career. In theory, it sounds like a reasonable approach by not taking too much risk and having a fallback plan.

But I often wonder what I am missing out on as a result of this strategy. I find Career One is leaving me drained and maybe preventing any real success in Career Two.

I don’t want to regret not giving Career Two a proper shot.

Career One

On the one hand, I have my career to date in Finance, an incredible worldwide journey working with many interesting people. It’s been part of my identity for over ten years. But it always felt like a job and nothing more at the end of the day. I have developed my skillsets and excelled in my roles, but there is one major problem – I have never really found much joy in crunching numbers and focusing on the bottom line. I find it immensely draining, so I had to work twice as hard to keep up with everyone else. It didn’t feel right like I wasn’t exercising my strengths, but I knew I was capable of more.

• Do you ever feel like that in your work? Like your natural strengths are not being utilised?

It may sound like Finance has been a waste of my time, but I have no regrets about my career so far. The experiences it offered developed my character, and the struggles I faced have led me to the fertile ground where I am today. There is meaning in “wasted time”.

• What lessons can you draw out of your career struggles?

Career Two

On the other hand, as I have gotten older and reflected on the shortness of life, I am now more interested in following a calling over a career. I want something I can get excited about that doesn’t feel like a “job”.

• What gets you excited? What wouldn’t feel like a “job” to you?

It helps to do some deep reflection and look out for the clues.

For example, I’ve always been more interested in people and what makes them tick. I feel tuned in to emotions and mindsets. I’ve always been seeking out practical wisdom to improve my life.

My office bookshelf at home is full of business, philosophy, psychology, and self-help books. You won’t find much Finance. The clues are there.

• What does your bookshelf say about you?
• If you’re not into books, what about the blogs you read, the podcasts you listen to, or the TV you watch?

Looking back, I was spending hours in this space on weekends and enjoying every minute of it. What if I could make this my full-time job? It wouldn’t feel like work.

This led me to start something focused on positive change. I want to inspire and support others to grow personally and professionally. I know I have a lot to give in the personal development and wellbeing space.

I would love to be doing this full-time, where I am creating content for my blog and podcast while coaching clients to grow and lead more fulfilling lives. It doesn’t feel like work to me. I find it energising. 

• What energises you?
• What if you could make your part-time passions into your job?

Reflection

• I don’t want to regret the things I have not done.

• It’s time for a change.