01 October, 2026
Episode 340: Your Career Looks Perfect. So Why Are You Miserable?
In this episode
🎙️ Episode Overview
Does your career look perfect on paper but feel completely different in real life? Are you finding it hard to explain how you feel to people who think you have it all? Are you wondering whether it’s too late to change the path you chose years ago?
So many of us made big career decisions in our teens, before our brains were even fully formed and with very little real information to go on. I qualified as a corporate lawyer, and while there were parts of it I enjoyed, I realised that the hours and the way my life needed to revolve around the role weren’t what I wanted, especially once I became a mum. When I finally decided to step away, even without knowing exactly where I was going next, a level of calm came over me that I hadn’t realised was missing.
In this episode, I share why so many high achievers are quietly unhappy in careers that look successful, the hidden cost of ignoring that disconnect, and the different ways you can make a change without having to start from scratch.
Summary
What You Will Learn:
- Why the path you chose years ago may no longer fit you
The part of our brain responsible for decision-making isn’t fully formed until around 25, yet we’re encouraged to pick a lane long before then and treat that choice as final. I explain why who you were in your 20s isn’t who you are in your 30s or 40s, and why taking stock regularly is so important.
- The real cost of staying where you are
When you keep showing up to a role that you know deep down isn’t right, your body knows. That tension can show up in your sleep, your eating habits, your anxiety and your stress levels. I talk about why redefining your goal or stepping away from what’s no longer working is not failure.
- How to decide whether you need a shift, a pivot or a leap
Change doesn’t have to mean a dramatic 180. I walk through the difference between a shift, a pivot and a leap, explain why self-awareness is the starting point, and share the story of a client who transformed how she felt about her work without changing her title, role or organisation. I also share how building a portfolio career gave me the flexibility to be the mum I wanted to be.
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
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.
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