Bluemudbabble

When Career Transition Feels Overwhelming

It’s always ugly in the middle. - Herminia Ibarra

Having read Working Identity——a book on career transition——by Herminia Ibarra, I knew perfectly that this process wouldn’t all be joy, excitement or fulfillment. Surely, there are times I dream about having 7-figure yearly income (in NT$) while doing minimum work, or taking on creative projects that fuel my soul with drive and curiosity. Nonetheless, there are also times I inevitably oscillate to the less bright spectrum of emotions.

Self-doubt and the harsh chatter in my head that says “you’re falling behind,” “you’re making a huge mistake,” or “you will fall from grace spectacularly.” It’s a pendulum swings back and forth.

Still, knowing the chaotic nature of career transition couldn’t prevent me from spiraling into the dark corner of my mind. I am in the middle of it, the whirl of emotions that pull me at all directions.

However, I’m not in a hurry to pull myself out of it. This is just a necessary part of the journey.

I decided to quit, not because of rational calculation—it came after the decision—but because I felt it in my gut. I listened to the exhaustion and dissatisfaction that always accompanied me during work hours.

Maybe I was stuck in this misery because I ignored the warning signs my body kept sending. So now, I have to feel it, letting it be the guide again.

In the end, I just need to remember Prof. Ibarra’s lesson, and a Persian adage that says:

This too shall pass.