From Coasting to Thriving: Cordelia’s Career Change Journey
When Cordelia first reached out to me in 2022, she had a good on paper job she was good at, but she wasn't happy.
Something was missing. There was a sense of coasting through life, heading down an inevitable path. One that didn’t hold much meaning for her.
There was more inside her that wanted to be expressed.
This is a common scenario with many of my clients—they’ve ticked the boxes and achieved what they thought they wanted. They have a great job title and a good salary, and they’re often praised for their work.
On the surface, they are “successful,” but they don’t feel successful.
They’re operating in their ‘Zone of Excellence,’ a concept coined by Gay Hendricks, psychologist and author, in his theory of the four zones we operate in—the zone of incompetence, competence, excellence, and genius.
Most people build their careers in their Zone of Excellence, where their skills are highly proficient. It’s a great place to start and establish yourself. The challenge is, that the Zone of Excellence can quickly become a trap. The success, status, and validation are like a golden cage— comfortable but limiting our potential.
Here’s when it gets even trickier —
The moment we start questioning our reality, asking ourselves: “Is this it?” “What do I really want?”, our inner critic gets louder to prevent us from stepping out of our comfort and familiarity. So we tell ourselves: “Maybe that’s just me, maybe I’m just never satisfied” or “I have everything I need, why can’t I just be thankful?"
Can you relate?
As many of us experience when we find ourselves at pivotal crossroads moments, it can be overwhelming to know where to start and which direction to take. There’s often a fear of “it’s too late” or “I’m too old” – the list of things we tell ourselves is endless. And yet, here they are, reaching out to me. So I know there is a kernel of hope in them. And deep inside, they know it too.
Cordelia knew it, too. And after 6 months of working closely together, Cordelia discovered her Zone of Genius. In this zone, we’re doing what we love most while making the biggest possible contribution to others / the world. In this zone, we capitalise on our natural abilities, which are innate (and sharpened) rather than learned. We find endless inspiration and come up with work that is often distinguished and unique. She summoned the courage to take the leap, and today, two years later, she is doing what she loves, thriving as a full-time musician.
I’ve invited Cordelia to jump on an IG live with me to chat about her transition journey, you can watch the replay here.
Love,
Naama
Comments