 What do you want to be when you grow up?
I ask myself this often, and if you are in the middle of a career pivot, it’s probably one you’ve been asking yourself lately. What are you looking for? What are you building? And most importantly—what do you truly want? We’ve been conditioned to believe that there’s a “right” way to build a career. Go to school. Pick a profession. Climb the ladder. Retire. HAAA – we all know that life doesn’t work like that. Most careers aren't a straight line, they are winding paths shaped by community, education, culture, experiences and so much more. The caregiving you’ve done, the illness you’ve battled, the side projects you’ve explored, the volunteer work that lit you up, the unconventional choices you’ve made—all of it has shaped you into the professional that you are today. If you feeling especially stuck, lost, or like you’re “behind,” hear this, the key to moving forward isn’t finding a perfect plan—it’s experimenting. Test Small Before You Go Big Thinking about starting a business, changing industries, or stepping into a leadership role—but feeling paralyzed? You don’t have to dive in headfirst. Try before you commit.
Derick spent 25 years in a corporate job that drained him. “I wasn’t ready to retire, but I couldn’t do that soul-sucking work anymore.” He started volunteering, got involved in his church, and pursued a tennis coaching certification—just for fun. One day, he realized he was turning away tennis clients because his schedule was full. “That’s when I knew—I had found my next thing.” Your next step doesn’t have to be a leap. It can be a series of small, intentional moves that lead to something bigger. Follow Curiosity, Not Just Credentials If you’re only looking at jobs that match your degree or past titles, you might be boxing yourself in.
Madeline followed the “traditional” career path—until she hit burnout. Instead of forcing herself to push through, she took a wild detour into culinary nutrition. That shift led her to: Coaching Leading workshops Speaking on stages Hosting retreats Mentoring young entrepreneurs And a few more side hustles like destination pet-sitting, getting her real estate license, serving as a driver, and even learning candle making! Eventually, the skills and connections she built along the way landed her a leadership role with a major chamber of commerce—helping other entrepreneurs succeed. You don’t have to know exactly where your curiosity will lead—just trust that it will take you somewhere new. Redefine “Failure” as Data Career pivots are messy. They come with doubts, missteps, and plenty of “what am I even doing?” moments. But every setback is a lesson. I know because I’ve lived it. I was forced out of a role I loved. It was devastating. It took years to recover from the trauma. But in that space, I rebuilt. On my terms. With more freedom, balance, and fulfillment than I ever thought possible. Look back on your career—was there ever a time when a failure actually led you somewhere better? “Failure is not the opposite of success; it’s part of success.” — Arianna Huffington “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” — Thomas Edison “It’s not how many times you fall, but how many times you get up.” — Chinese Proverb If you’re not failing, you’re not growing. Your career is an experiment, and every step—good or bad—is data. Your Next Move: Try One Small Experiment There’s no single “right” way to build a fulfilling career. By testing new paths, following your curiosity, and learning from every experience, you’ll create a career that aligns with who you are today—not who you were 20 years ago. What’s one small career experiment you can try this month? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear! If you are interested in defining 3 steps you can take in the next 30 days, then schedule your complementary career exploration call with me today. Hop on my calendar here: https://calendly.com/mariadastur/30-minute-exploration-session #over40 #midlife #careervision #CareerGrowth #OpportunitiesAhead #Reinvention #AmplifyYourCareer #RiseLimitlessly #UnapologeticallyYou #OwnYourPower #DesignedForYou #RewriteTheRules #ActBoldly #Mindset #Coach #CareerChange #MidlifePivot #PortfolioCareer #SuccessOnYourTerms #WomenWhoPivot #ComfortZone
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 One of the first questions I ask any potential client is: "Tell me who you are and what you're looking for." And without fail, one of two things happens. Either they begin rattling off a laundry list of titles, accomplishments, and career paths they’ve considered. Or, they freeze. Their eyes go blank as they try to process exactly who they are and what they truly want.
These are smart, driven individuals—people with advanced degrees, decades of experience, and impressive accomplishments both professionally and personally. They’re great at many things. But despite all their skills, they’ve spent months—sometimes years—trying to figure out their next move before finally seeking my help. They think: “I know how to land a job. I’ve done it before. I can do it again!” The thing is, it is a tough market out there. And if your value isn’t immediately clear, you can be doing everything right and still remain invisible. Did you know that 75% of applicants for any given role will have similar skills and experience to yours? The same is true for entrepreneurs pitching their services—your competitors also have great credentials. The difference isn’t what you have on paper, it’s how you communicate it. If you’re sending out dozens of job applications, networking endlessly, or pitching your services without getting much traction, it’s time for a reality check. Your brand message might not be working. (Yes - You are a brand!) So, how do you solve this? How do you stop being invisible and make your brand message work for you? Be Clear about who you are, what you are seeking, and what problems you solve. But Maria, “I am open to doing whatever, as long as I can get money coming in.” When you try to be everything to everyone, you end up being nothing to anyone. That’s exactly what was happening to Maureen. She had an impressive background in marketing but couldn’t land anything because her messaging was all over the place. Funny how we are unable to use our superpowers to help ourselves! We worked together to get crystal clear on her strengths—she was a strategic thinker who thrived on building strong customer relationships—and started communicating that message with precision. It made all the difference. By focusing on what she actually wanted, and positioning herself as a solution to a specific problem, Maureen finally started getting attention from the right employers. You need to get clear on your core strengths and communicate them in a way that positions you as the solution to the challenges employers or clients are facing. If you don’t define this for them, they won’t know what you’re about. Being vague, or worse, ambiguous, only leaves you invisible. Connect the Dots with a Tailored Message When you’re looking for a new opportunity, whether it’s a job or a client, you need to connect the dots between your experience and their needs. One of my clients, Casey, came to me after several failed attempts at landing a job. She had a lot of great experience—she’d been a SAAS customer experience manager for over 10 years, but her resume was just a list of previous roles. It didn’t tell potential employers how her experience solved their problems. Casey assumed his experience spoke for itself, but it didn’t. We worked together to reframe her accomplishments into clear benefits for employers while highlighting the specific experience that matched job listings. Instead of simply stating she managed teams, we highlighted how her leadership saved the company $500K a year by increasing client retention. When we restructured her messaging, and aligned her LinkedIn profile and messaging, she immediately saw results: more conversations, more interest, and more interviews. You have to connect the dots. Don’t just tell them what you’ve done—show them how it benefits them. This isn’t just about the skills you bring; it’s about how those skills solve specific problems and drive results for your target audience. Show, Don’t Tell - While Making Your Pitch Irresistible “I’m great at what I do. But nobody seems to care.” That was the frustration of Erica, a highly experienced sales professional who had tried every pitch under the sun but still couldn’t close deals consistently. She had the experience, the education, the knowledge—but she wasn’t backing it up with evidence. When we worked together, we focused on what she could prove—not just what she said. Erica had glowing client testimonials from years of exceeding sales targets, but they weren’t anywhere in her messaging. She also had data on how she had transformed the health and careers of her clients—but that wasn’t included in her pitch. Once we brought those details front and center, her prospects began to take notice. People want proof. They want to know you can deliver, and they want evidence that you’ve done it before. This is why your pitch needs to be packed with proof over promises. Testimonials, case studies, success stories, and metrics all build trust and credibility. Clients and hiring managers want to see the results you can deliver. The more tangible the proof, the more irresistible your message becomes. The final step is to have a call to action. What do you actually want people to do for you? Do you want an introduction? A job interview? A sale? Your message should be as clear about your next step as it is about the value you bring. One of the biggest mistakes people make in job searches or sales is leaving the next step unclear. If you want someone to take action, you have to make it easy for them. When Magda landed her new role, she didn’t just send her resume and hope for the best. She also included a clear call to action in her email: Let’s schedule a call so I can explain how my experience can help you solve X, Y, and Z. That clarity made it easy for potential employers to see that she had done her homework, and it ultimately led to more open doors. The reality is, unless you can communicate your value clearly, you’ll continue to feel invisible—even with all your great experience. If you’re struggling with your messaging, feeling stuck, or unsure why your efforts aren’t paying off, let’s fix that. I offer a free brand audit where I’ll help you identify where your messaging is falling short and give you actionable advice to refine it. Together, we can craft a brand message that gets you noticed, gets you results, and gets you the opportunities you deserve. Hop on my calendar here: https://calendly.com/mariadastur/30-minute-exploration-session  Have you ever caught yourself pushing relentlessly towards a big goal, believing that I will be happy and celebrate once I reach the finish line? But in the process, we burn out. And when we feel this pain, we convince ourselves--I just need more grit! But what if we let ourselves feel joy, accomplishment, and success along the way instead of waiting for the finish line? I’m not much for New Year’s resolutions. Instead, each January, I choose a keystone habit—a foundational change that, when made, triggers a domino effect of positive transformation in life. Common keystone habits revolve around health and wellness, like moving your body for 30 minutes a day. This small commitment can lead to better cardiovascular health, muscle strength, improved mood, and higher energy levels. See the domino effect? For 2025, I chose to live in the gain versus the gap—to rein in my hyper-achiever mindset and focus on what I have accomplished rather than obsessing over all the steps still ahead. How to Shift Your Perspective and Live in the Gain If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed in your career transition, consider shifting from a gap mindset (focusing on what’s missing) to a gain mindset (celebrating what you’ve already achieved). Here’s how: Start Each Day by Noticing Small Wins Instead of measuring success only by landing the job, track daily progress: Did you refine your resume? Reach out to a new contact? Learn something new? Small steps add up. Journal Your Achievements At the end of the day, write down three things you accomplished. This builds momentum and reminds you of how far you’ve come. Reframe Setbacks as Learning Opportunities Didn’t get the second interview? Instead of spiraling, ask: What did I learn? How can I improve? Every “no” is a step toward the right “yes.” Celebrate the Process, Not Just the Outcome Recognize that you are doing hard things everyday. Making a tough call, showing up for a networking event, working on the job hunt and stepping outside your comfort zone. All of these things deserve to be celebrated. Real-Life Example: How Living in the Gain Transformed a Job Search Sarah, a mid-career professional transitioning from corporate management to nonprofit leadership, was stuck in a cycle of frustration and self-doubt. “I am too old to be completely shifting industries.” “I am not good enough to be a leader.” “Why would they choose me over someone with a nonprofit background?” Sarah had already done the visioning work and taken the bold step to declare that she was ready for a change. Now how to orchestrate the transformation? Each day instead of dwelling on being ghosted or not landing interviews at all, she shifted her focus to daily achievements, and everything changed. She started tracking her accomplishments—writing strong cover letters, having meaningful conversations, and learning about the nonprofit sector. She celebrated small wins, like a recruiter responding to her message or feeling more confident in an interview. This shift helped her stay motivated and resilient. Conversations flowed as her confidence grew. And when a conversation led to her dream role, she was able to start feeling rejuvenated with a positive mindset, because throughout the process she had grown, learned, and built relationships that would serve her far beyond this one job. Whether you’re changing careers, starting a business, or working toward any big goal, don’t wait until the finish line to feel accomplished. Allowing yourself to celebrate the wins along the way will create emotions that fuel you rather than break you. Not only would you reach your goals in a healthier way, but you will also be creating more of the feelings that you actually want in your life. So, what have you achieved today? Seeking inspiration and a clear path forward in your career pivot? Schedule your free career exploration call and gain clarity and confidence to take that next step: https://calendly.com/mariadastur/30-minute-exploration-session |
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