3 Steps to Reset Your Career When You Feel Stuck

Ever wake up, stare at your calendar, and wonder “How did I get here?”

Maybe your job looks good on paper. Maybe your LinkedIn headline is still impressive. But inside? You’re uninspired, underwhelmed, and low-kay (or high-key) burned out. 

That feeling of being stuck isn’t a sign of failure - it’s a signal. One that’s quietly whispering: It’s time to reset.

Whether you’re contemplating a full-on career pivot, craving fresh career growth, or just tired of the ‘meh’ energy your job is serving daily, this blog is your permission slip to pause, recalibrate, and start again - with intention. 

Let’s walk through 3 steps to kickstart your career reset (and yes, there’s a free Career Reset Roadmap to guide you through it at the end). 

Step 1: Reflect with Radical Honesty

Before you can change your career, you have to understand it.

This first step is about holding up the mirror and being brutally honest with yourself about what’s working, what’s not, and what you’ve been tolerating for far too long. 

Ask Yourself:

• Do I feel proud of the work I’m doing?

• Do I feel seen, heard, or valued?

• Am I learning, growing, or just surviving? 

• What should I leave behind tomorrow if I wasn’t afraid?

The next step is to evaluate your current role to see if it’s truly aligned - or if it's just familiar. How many of these red flags can you check off? (If it’s more than one, it might be time to move on).

• Sunday Scaries that start on Saturday morning.

• Getting emotionally flatlined by good news at work (“Cool. Promotion. I guess…”).

• Re-reading emails 5 times because you can’t focus.

• Staying because it’s safe, but not because it’s right.

These are signs you’ve outgrown your current space - not that you’re not cut out for success.

Quick Exercise: The Energize vs. Drain Audit

Let’s get into the nitty gritty of your current role - because clarity lives in the details. 

Here’s what to do: 

1. Set a timer for 15 minutes (Trust me, you’ll be surprised what comes out when you actually give yourself space).

2. List out everything you do in your job

   • Daily tasks

   • Recurring meetings

   • Projects

   • People you interact with

   • Random admin stuff that sneaks in

3. Mark each item with:

   • ✔️if it energize you 

   • ❌ if it drain you

   • ❓or leave it blank if you’re neutral or unsure

Now, look at that list. What do you notice?

• Are the ❌s piling up?

• Is there a pattern in what brings you energy?

• Are you spending most of your time on tasks that don’t align with your strengths or values?

This isn’t about being dramatic - it’s about being honest. Because alignment isn’t a vibe, it’s a strategy.

Now that you’ve got data, it’s time to move to the next step. 

Step 2: Reconnect to What Lights You Up

Let’s get one thing straight: just because you can do a job doesn’t mean you should. We’re taught to build careers around our skills. But that’s only half the story. A truly aligned career comes from building around your energy, your values, your natural flow. 

Start by Asking:

• When was the last time I felt excited at work? What was I doing?

• What do people come to me for - naturally? (Advice? Strategy? Fixing chaos?)

• What do I want to be known for? (Not what your title says).

Try This Mini Clarity Audit:

Make a list of 5-10 moments in your career (or even outside of it!) when you felt:

• In flow

• Proud of your contribution

• Creatively alive

• Fully yourself

Look for patterns. Are you most energized when you’re mentoring? Solving problems? Building something from scratch? Helping others shine? 

Now flip it - what’s draining you? 

• Endless meetings?

• Micromanagement?

• Repetition with no creativity?

This exercise helps you tap into what I call your “career compass” - the natural motivators that point you toward the kind of work (and workplace) that will actually fit. 

Bonus Insight:

Research shows that people who feel connected to their work are more productive, fulfilled, and resilient. It’s not woo - it’s science. And you deserve a career that feeds you, not one that just funds you. 

Step 3: Realign with a Bold (But Realistic) Plan

Now that you’ve reflected and reconnected to what matters most, it’s time to get into realignment mode - and yes, you can do this without lighting your entire career on fire. 

Realignment doesn’t mean quitting tomorrow (unless that’s what your gut is screaming for). It means starting where you are, getting strategic, and building a bridge between what you’ve been doing… and what’s actually meant for you next. 

It’s about progress, not perfection. And you can start with one of these three career reset pathways:

1. The Micro-Pivot

A small shift, big difference.

This is where you stay within your current company or industry, but tweak what you’re doing or how you’re doing it. You’re not leaving everything behind - you’re refining. 

Example:

• Moving from Sales to Client Success, where you still work with customers, but focus more on retention and relationship-building than closing deals. 

• Shifting from a Marketing Generalist role into something more aligned with your passions, like Social Media Strategy or Content Creation. 

• Asking to lead a project that taps into your creative side, even if it’s outside your current job description.

Why it works: Micro-pivots let you grow within your zone, build confidence, and test out new areas - without a full-blown career leap. Great for people who want change but also crave stability.

2. The Adjacent Leap

You’re not starting over - you’re building over. 

This move takes your existing skills and experience and applies them to a related field or role. It’s like stepping onto the next lily pad - you’re moving forward, but there’s familiarity in the leap. 

Examples:

• From Event Planning to Brand Marketing - you’re still managing experiences, timelines, and storytelling, but through a new lens.

• From Recruitment to HR Business Partner - less sourcing, more strategy and talent development. 

• From Teaching to Instructional Design or Corporate Training - same skill set, new environment. 

Why it works: Adjacent leaps help you avoid career burnout while maximizing the value of your transferable skills. You don’t need a new degree - you just need to reposition what you already bring to the table. 

3. The Full Pivot

Cue the Beyonce-level reinvention.

This is the big one. You’re leaving your industry or function behind to pursue something that feels way more aligned with who you are now - not who you were five or ten years ago. 

Examples:

• From Corporate Marketing Manager to Wellness Coach, Therapist, or Entrepreneur

• From Financial Analyst to UX Designer

• From Retail Manager to Tech Sales

Why it works: Full pivots are often fueled by deep personal evolution. They require bravery, clarity, and often a bit of re-skilling - but they can lead to the most fulfilling transformations. 

One More Thing…

There’s no one-size-fits-all pivot. 

No “right” amount of change. 

No single path to career happiness.

Whether you make a micro-move or a full leap, the goal is the same:

To align your work with who you are now - not who you were five years ago. 

So ask yourself:

What kind of shift would feel realistic - but also a little brave? 

And then go take one small step in that direction. Your next chapter doesn’t need to be dramatic. It just needs to be yours.

Want to take the guesswork out of your pivot? 

👉Download the Career Reset Roadmap to map your next bold, intentional move.

A Final Note

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