Navigate change without a map
When you get to midlife, the map you’ve used until now can stop working.
Life changes.
We change.
What used to fit .. doesn’t.
(And not just your favourite jeans.)
But how do you move forward if you’re about to chart new territory?
What can you do when you know that what got you here won’t get you there?
In last week’s return of The Friday Fireside, Carlos, Laurence, Lana, and the community came together to explore the concept of “wayfinding.”
It’s the art of navigating life and career transitions without a predefined map.
The conversation revealed deep insights into how we can approach uncertainty, especially during midlife career changes, with more trust and intentionality.
Here are three takeaways from the conversation:
1. Trust your inner compass
Traditional career advice often emphasises having a clear destination and a linear path to get there.
However, experience from over 180 people on our Vision program has shown us that successful transitions require tuning into your inner guidance system.
As community member Betty Cottam noted,
“When we can stop caring so much about what other people want from us and think about us... we can just trust and tune into what's inside.”
This approach doesn't mean having all the answers upfront. Instead, it's about:
Developing trust in your intuition
Making decisions based on what feels aligned at each junction
Accepting that there isn't always a “right” or “wrong” choice
2. Redefine success through choosing personal standards
One of the most powerful insights came from community member Tash Acres.
A parent of a child with special needs, she’s shifted from goal-setting to standard-setting.
Instead of focusing solely on achievements or destinations, she now keeps daily standards via these three tasks that align with her values:
Doing something for her own wellbeing
Contributing to someone else's life
Accomplishing three meaningful tasks toward her work
“As long as each day I've hit my standards and I'm not beating myself up over goals that I can't guarantee I'm going to make, because it's out of my hands, then I feel a little bit more at ease with life.”
Her approach gives a sense of accomplishment and progress even when external circumstances are unpredictable or challenging.
3. Find your community of fellow wayfinders
The journey of carving your own path can feel isolating, especially when those around you might not understand or support your choices.
This is why it’s so important to find your Tribe:
Connecting with others who are also choosing non-traditional paths
Creating spaces to share experiences and challenges
Building a support network that encourages exploration and growth
As Laurence reflected, “It's so nice to know that we're not alone in these thoughts.”
Navigating the tension between structure and freedom
For many of us, but especially those in midlife career transition, there's often a tension between the desire for freedom and the need for structure.
Our conversation revealed three key strategies for managing this:
1. Create meaning while you’re still in transition
You might be in a role that doesn't fully align with the direction you hope for; while you’re building a new business on the side, perhaps.
Can you find ways to create meaning in your current situation while preparing for future change?
2. Practice discernment
Developing the ability to discern which paths align with your values and needs really helps when you’re overwhelmed by choices.
Our Purpose Playbook is designed to help you navigate decisions more easily.
3. Embrace plurality
We can get stuck on the one thing, the one solution. It’s what’s known as an “anchor problem.”
But if we recognise that there isn't just one future or one right way forward, a world of new choices open up.
As Lana points out, there's “a multiplicity of futures” available to us.
Moving forward as a wayfinder
Whether you're considering a career change, starting a business, or simply feeling called to explore a different path, remember that wayfinding is both an art and a practice. It requires:
Patience with the process
Trust in your internal guidance
Courage to move forward even without a clear map
Community support to encourage and inspire you
As you navigate your own path, remember that the journey itself is as valuable as the destination.
By embracing the spirit of wayfinding, you open yourself to possibilities that might never have been visible on a more traditional path.
And if you can do it in good company?
It will even be fun.
Are you feeling called to explore a different path in your career or life?
Join our community of wayfinders at The Happy Startup School and find fellow entrepreneurs and changemakers.
Navigate your unique journey with purpose and intention, together.
