24 September, 2026
Episode 339: No Motivation for Your Next Career Chapter? Try This
In this episode
🎙️ Episode Overview
Do you know exactly what you want but still aren’t moving towards it? Are you frustrated because you know it isn’t a lack of discipline? Are you wondering what’s actually missing?
With my 42nd birthday approaching and my eldest starting high school, I’ve been in a season of recalibration. I have big goals, but the conviction to consistently move them forward wasn’t always showing up, so I paused and looked back to figure out why.
In this episode, I share three moments when I achieved something big, the common thread that kept me going, and how you can find that same thread in your own story to close the gap between your goal and taking action.
Summary
What You Will Learn:
- Why you need to look back before you push forward
When motivation dips, our instinct is to push harder. Instead, I encourage you to revisit the milestones in your career and life that you’re genuinely proud of and ask what was true for you then that isn’t true now. The patterns you spot are the ingredients you need to move forward again.
- Why the goal itself is never the fuel
Getting in shape, living in another country, writing a talk: none of those goals were what kept me going. The fuel was always what those goals would allow me to do and create. I explain why a clear, meaningful why is what turns a goal you want into a goal you actually act on.
- How to use the Five Whys exercise to find your real motivation
Your first answer to “why do I want this?” is usually the surface-level one. I share the Five Whys exercise I use with my clients and walk through an example of a professional wanting to build an additional income stream alongside her career, showing how asking “why” five times uncovers the deeper reason that gives you real conviction.
Ready to turn your why into a plan?
If you’re ready to strategise the steps that will move you towards the goals you’ve set, book a Career Expansion Session with me. These are 75-minute 1:1 sessions where we look at where you are right now and what needs to shift for you to expand beyond it, whether that’s starting your own thing alongside your career or levelling up where you are. Spots are limited each week, so grab yours here: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/career-expansion-session
And I’d love to hear how your Five Whys exercise goes! Tag me on Instagram @janineesbrand, email me at janine@careerchangemakers.com, or connect with me on LinkedIn.
Invest in Yourself and Your Career:
- Community — Join our Network for mid-career women redesigning what’s next in their careers
Episode notes
As an award-winning certified executive and career coach, TEDx speaker, podcast host and former lawyer, I have seen way too many female professionals under selling themselves and settling for less in their careers. I am committed to equipping high achieving women with the tools and support to create careers that are both meaningful and impactful.
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and review. It helps the show reach more ambitious professionals who need this message.
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I also host a complimentary Pause & Plan session once a month for professionals and leaders who want to step away from the noise and plan with intention. Join our next session.
🔗 Get in Touch
Want to connect and share your thoughts on the episode? Send an email to podcast@careerchangemakers.com
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