Feeling Stuck in Your Job? You need Career Clarity.
Finding Clarity in Your Career
Ever find yourself staring at your computer screen, wondering if your work is really getting you where you want to be? Feeling a bit rudderless in your career can happen to anyone, especially as we get closer to the year’s end. The good news? This could be the perfect moment to find career clarity and set a new direction for the future. This uncertainty you feel could be viewed as an invitation to rediscover what truly drives you.
Why Career Clarity Matters
Psychologists and career experts agree that clarity is a powerful motivator. Personally, I can do nothing without a clear plan to focus on. Studies by researchers like Dr. Amy Wrzesniewski at Yale have shown that people who see their work as a “calling” rather than just a job tend to experience higher satisfaction and engagement. But for most of us, that sense of purpose doesn’t just appear out of nowhere, it comes from intentionally analysing what we want to achieve and who we want to become in our working lives.
Without clarity, we’re more likely to feel stuck, which can quickly drain our energy and motivation. A lack of direction can leave us at risk of burnout, or feeling like we are going through the motions. Clarity, on the other hand, acts like a compass and is energising. It helps us make career decisions that align with the deeper us, providing the kind of focus that fuels meaningful progress.
Shifting Your Energy
So how can we create this sense of clarity? According to research on goal-setting and motivation, one of the best ways to gain clarity is to ask yourself powerful, open-ended questions. Here are some that I use to help clients reconnect with their purpose:
What excites me most about my work, and why? This question can help you uncover the parts of your job that give you energy / keep you engaged.
What kinds of problems do I genuinely enjoy solving? Often, our best work comes from tackling challenges we find inherently interesting.
What values do I want to express in my career? Values like creativity, collaboration, or independence can guide you toward roles and projects that feel deeply fulfilling or give your current role a new boost.
Taking time to reflect on questions like these can be transformative. They help shift your focus from feeling uncertain about the future to actively exploring it. Even small insights can set you on a path that feels more aligned with who you are and where you want to go.
Adding to these strategies, James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, focuses on the importance of not just setting goals but building systems (i.e., processes, routines, habits) that support those goals. Clear suggests that instead of solely focusing on the outcomes we desire, we should concentrate on the daily habits and processes that lead to those outcomes.
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems,” Clear writes.
This perspective encourages us to create a structured approach to achieving career clarity. Here’s how you can apply his insights:
Instead of setting a goal like ‘I want to get a promotion’ focus on the identity you want to build, such as ‘to be a proactive and skilled leader’. This shift helps align your daily actions with your long-term vision.
Break down your career objectives into manageable habits. For example, dedicate 15 minutes each day to networking or skill development. These small steps accumulate over time, leading to significant progress without overwhelming you.
Regularly review your progress and adjust as needed. This continuous improvement ensures that your habits remain aligned with your evolving career goals.
You are looking for actionable steps that keep you moving forward, even when motivation wanes so think about the big goal and the systems that support you to get there.
Journeying Towards Clarity
Career clarity is not a destination you reach once only and that’s it. It’s a continual process of reflection, adjustment, and growth. As you gain more experience and your priorities change, the vision of what you want will too.
Whether you’re thinking of a big career change, looking to deepen your expertise, or simply wanting to feel more engaged, remember that clarity is about getting in touch with what makes you feel purposeful and motivated. When we know what we’re working toward, our work can become more of an extension of who we are and that feels great.
I hope you give yourself time and space to reflect at different point - like now as we close out the year. Even if you don’t find all the answers, the act of asking the right questions can change your approach to work and pave the way for a more meaningful career in the year ahead. Brene Browns free value’s exercise is a good place to start if you are looking for one - or of course, you could book in with me and I’'ll guide you through this process.