Your (Sometimes Weird) Career Story

𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙞𝙧𝙙.

No map.
No trail markers.
No “You Are Here” sign.

Just a lot of fog.

And yet… most people try to navigate it alone.

I was thinking about this the other day while walking a trail near the coast here in North Carolina.

At the start, it’s easy.
Clear path. Flat ground. Confidence high.

Then it changes.

The trail narrows.
Roots everywhere.
You’re not sure if you’re still going the right way.

That’s what most careers look like after the first 5–10 years.

Promotions get less obvious.
Roles get fuzzier.
Decisions carry more weight.

And suddenly the question becomes:

“Am I still on the right trail?”

This is where people start spinning.

They second-guess themselves.
Stay too long.
Jump too fast.
Or freeze completely.

Here’s something I’ve learned after 20+ years in recruiting and coaching:

Almost nobody struggles because they’re incapable.

They struggle because they’re hiking alone.

No perspective.
No trail feedback.
No one saying:

“Hey — you’re actually doing better than you think.”
or
“Careful… this path looks right but leads nowhere.”

That’s why having a hiking buddy in your career matters.

Not someone who walks the trail for you.
Someone who walks it with you.

Someone who:
• Helps you read the terrain
• Points out shortcuts you can’t see
• Calls out cliffs before you step too close
• Reminds you why you started when you’re tired

I’ve had those people in my own life.

Mentors.
Coaches.
Friends who told me the truth when I needed it.

Every major leap I’ve made had one thing in common:

I didn’t make it alone.

If your career feels uncertain right now, that doesn’t mean you’re lost.

It probably just means you’ve hit a part of the trail that requires better perspective.

And sometimes…

The best investment isn’t a course, a certification, or another late-night scroll through job boards.

It’s a hiking buddy who knows the terrain.

Curious — where in your career does the trail feel foggy right now?

Ready to improve your career search? If you’d like, we can hop on a quick call and I can walk you through how I can help. You can book a chat with Matt at 👉 https://calendly.com/mjwcareers and get you some Matt Magic (client’s words, not mine).