In a recent members-only virtual salon, Athena pioneer Liz Tinkham talked to career and leadership coach Marnie Rosenberg, Founder of The Crossroads Coach.  When considering making a transition of any kind, Marnie emphasizes the importance of figuring out what you want and why you want it. She walked Athena members through her process of helping clients identify the values that drive their why to help make an intentional and confident career pivot.

Read our key takeaways to make a confident career pivot whether you are starting your own venture, changing industries, or entering the boardroom. Members can view the full recording in the Member Resource Library.

1. Date the idea before you marry it. If possible, find a low-commitment way to engage with and test the idea of the direction you’d like to go. Someone interested in shifting to nonprofit work might volunteer for a nonprofit organization a few days a week. Someone interested in becoming an occupational therapist might shadow an OT in the field for a day. Get an inside peek and dip your toes before you more fully commit to the new path.

2. Separate your identity from your career. When introducing ourselves, we often lead with describing the work we do. Consider how your identity travels with you through your entire career and into the next steps of your journey. “I am more successful as a coach because of my experience in marketing,” Marnie said. “I had to get past the idea that I was scrapping my 13-year career and doing something completely different. Connect the dots as far as your values and your ‘why’ and start to view this as the next step in your personal evolution.”

3. Forget about money for a moment. If you woke up tomorrow and money was not a factor, what would you be doing with your time? How would you spend your days? This may sound like a far-fetched exercise–as the vast majority of people consider money to be a major factor in their career choices–but this exercise will help you identify the values and purpose behind what you want to do.

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