Ready, set, pivot

Shake things up a bit

February 13, 2023

Hi! There are two things for which the limit did not exist yesterday: 1) the number of times my jaw was on the floor during Rihanna’s performance and 2) the number of “I swear this is my last one” pigs-in-a-blanket I consumed.

Fitting for the Monday after Super Bowl Sunday: Today we’re talking about how normal it is to feel a little lost in our careers—and how great it is to switch things up. Even if you’re gasp an elder millennial.

Let’s vibe: I know we already listened to her a few weeks ago and last night, but this is a Rihanna stan account now.

—Rod

How to Successfully Pivot Your Career

We always ask little kids “what do you want to be when you grow up?” and never doubt them when they say “a space cowboy” or “Lizzo’s personal vegan chef.” How come we can’t extend that anything-is-possible attitude to our adult selves?

I’m 32 years old and my answer to “what do you want to be when you grow up?” changes daily. And I welcome that! Because, at the risk of sounding like a ~live, laugh, love~ wall decal, if we have to spend one-third of our lives working? Why not do something that makes us (somewhat) happy, even if that requires a career pivot.

The stats behind pivoting:

  • In 2021, 53% of adults in the U.S. quit their jobs and changed their careers completely.

  • Burnout, changes in interests, and shifts in priorities are all contributing factors when it comes to choosing another path (and they’re all valid!).

Since I’ve made a few switcheroos myself, let’s talk about some reasons why I pivoted and what you need to know if you want to do it, too.

Reasons to make a change

Mental health: Being a teacher was one of the most rewarding jobs I’ve ever had, but it was also the hardest—I burned out pretty quickly. I knew for my own well-being, I needed a less stressful career (and if you’re a teacher I love you and appreciate you so much).

Growth: I graduated college more than a decade ago (don’t look at me like that), and lots of personal and professional growth has happened since then. The “dream job” I landed post-grad wasn’t as fulfilling to mid-twenties me.

Reminders for when you’re freaking out mid-pivot

You’re more than ready. While my high school students letting me know when my “fit” was not “lit” prepared me for TikTok trolls today, my experience mentoring and leading as a teacher also helped me succeed as a manager at my sales job. We don’t realize just how seamlessly a lot of the skills we have can transfer over to different work settings.

You can always go back. “But Rod, what happens if I switch careers and realize I miss my old job?” Just go back to it! You already have the skills needed for your old career path (plus a few extra from your time on the pivot train), so you should feel confident in picking up where you left off.

Bottom line: Sometimes going totally off-script in your life is exactly what you need. My awkward 16-year-old self wearing Phat Farm jeans would never have thought that I’d be writing this newsletter today, but with a few sharp turns along the way, here I am.

I’m not saying a career switch is always easy, but if you have a gut feeling you aren’t where you need to be…never be afraid to pull a hard left.

Things to Slack your work besties

…after you get back from a three-hour lunch with all of them.

Academy Award-nominated Michelle Yeoh talks about landing her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once, representation in Hollywood, and not backing down. Yes, I’m replacing my motivational Michael Jordan poster with a motivational Michelle Yeoh poster.

I already know I’m deleting three exclamation marks before I even re-read the email (I am a serious businessperson). Reply and tell me how you draw the line when it comes to counting your “no worries!” exclamation marks.

The bad news? How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days is 20 years old (which means Andie Anderson’s yellow dress is officially vintage). The good news? Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey caught up about the iconic Benny Boo-Boo scene and the canon that is How to Lose a Guy on IG live.

Thanks for reading! Have a great rest of the week, and see you back here Friday for another little Q&A!

IDK WHAT DO I KNOW?! LMAO!

—Rod

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