Introducing the Evolution or Revolution Podcast

About a year ago, I became increasingly curious about how people evolve their careers. So often on LinkedIn, professional trajectories look pretty straightforward with the “I’m pleased to announce” posts of new jobs or increasingly senior titles.

However, as human beings in the real world, we are more than a personal brand. I don’t know that we should be “consistent”. We won’t necessarily do the same things in the same industries for 30 years as both internal and external life circumstances change faster than ever.

The past 18 months has proven that more than ever. Layoffs, AI, new political leadership, all of these things have shifted our professional landscapes from predictable staircases to some flavor of the Hunger Games.

I believe we are meant to grow significantly throughout our lives. We’re meant to learn, adapt and evolve. As we understand our internal landscapes, our strengths and talents, and tune into developing interests and new phases of life, we are supposed to change. Being in one industry or one discipline for 40 years should be the exception not the rule. (And more and more often, it is.)

But, navigating those evolutions is easier said than done. Change requires Becoming a beginner again (and again). We will need to take new risks. That might include reaching out and asking our network for support or introductions or advice. It might mean bombing interviews or launches. It might mean making mistakes. It might mean setting up small steps or small experiments before taking a giant leap.

Let’s face it. It’s vulnerable. And to be vulnerable in a space where we want to appear accomplished and confident is hard.

So, I posted here asking for folks with stories of personal evolutions and revolutions. I wanted to hear first hand accounts of how they specifically took on evolutions or revolutions in their own lives.

Evolution means taking steps to meaningfully change their professional lives over time.

Revolution means burning the boats and going for new shores
and adventure without turning back.

During this process, I had some fascinating conversations.

• Small town midwife turned global maternal health leader who went from making house calls in her small town to traveling and working internationally in over a dozen countries. She helps establish maternal health guidelines and training to support women around the globe.
• Web Developer who decided to quit drinking and moved around the world. His sobriety caused him to realize his life - which included all the hallmarks of success - was a terrible fit for him. In a series of experiments and explorations, he finally stepped away from it all. At 40, He moved to Asia knowing no one, building a consulting practice and now living the life he was meant to live with a tribe of people he loves.
• A brilliant entrepreneur with an enviable list of big names on her resume who leveraged her experience and developed lifetime relationships. She navigated influential roles in government, tech, non-profits continually stepping into new, meaningful challenges. Finally, she launched her own company with someone she intuitively knew she had to speak to in a local store.
• A program manager who reconnected with her creative side with a 30 day challenge. That challenge that turned into ten years of developing a deep creative life outside of work. Finally, she decided to give herself a year to see if being an independent creative was the life for her. The outcome surprised her.
• A content strategist burned out on tech, starting her new chapter after a stint volunteering and rediscovering what’s most important to her.

So many more interviews and stories that I’ll start sharing here.

Some folks didn’t consider their transformation as “revolutionary” until we talked about it. But each were honest with the risks, the realizations and the hard parts of making transitions.

Why does this matter?

This matters because we’re in a time of massive change. Now more than ever, listening to your own internal guidance and building a muscle to take risks is going to be incredibly important. Being able to navigate change whether you’ve initiated it or not is going to be critical.

But hearing other stories can be incredibly inspiring and empowering. After all, if they did it, couldn’t you?