The Cul-de-Sac
You’re feeling stuck—without a clear destination or path in sight. You’ve been successful, but now the path ahead feels unclear, and none of the usual options seem to fit.
You might be approaching a dead-end in your organization or path. And it might be time to carve a new road.
At a Cul-de-Sac, it’s common for people to start bargaining by telling themselves: “it’s too late to make a change”, “there are many things I still like about my job”, “I can make this work!” But the reality is that they’re going round and round. Today that circling may feel comfortable and familiar, but there will be a day when it becomes quite painful.
A common trap
Because nobody wants to face a dead-end, people often choose to see their Cul-de-Sac as a Chasm or Crossroads—and as a result, they’ll try Chasm and Crossroads solutions.
Inevitably, those won’t work.
They believe they just need to choose a new path when, in reality, they need to pause, reflect, and take stock of what they want at this point in their life. It’s not easy work, but it’s necessary to move past this type of inflection point.
There’s nothing bad about being at a Cul-de-Sac. It doesn’t mean you’ve failed and it certainly doesn’t mean you lack options. It’s just that the road you’ve been on is no longer relevant to who you are now.
The truth is: this is how life works and it happens to us all.
The sooner you can see yourself at a Cul-de-Sac, the sooner you can figure out what steps you need to take.
Your Task: Build a New Road
Take time to explore your purpose—the impact you want to have on others, and how you go about doing that
Let go of perfectionism by connecting to your own vision, values, and inner knowing
Learn to trust the process; become less attached to outcomes and build your confidence in your ability to figure things out
Starting a new road doesn’t necessarily mean making drastic changes in your career and life, by the way. It could mean starting a side gig, stepping into your leadership differently, or even taking the pressure off your career to make room for other things.
Regardless, it can be challenging to know what matters most, to let go of past success, and to confront the voices telling you not to stray from your current path.
But if you can do that, your life will become easier. You’ll have a lot more conviction in how you’re spending your time and the decisions you need to make.
Would you like some help with this?
I work 1:1 with executives, entrepreneurs, and leaders to help them step into their greatest impact. Through coaching, I help them live with conviction, navigate uncertainty with ease, and leave nothing on the table.
If you find yourself at a Cul-de-Sac, I can likely support you in moving forward. Schedule an initial conversation below and we can start to see if I’m a good fit for what you need.
Want to learn about the other career inflection points?
Download this Pocket Guide here.