Read time: 3 minutes
Hi Reader
When I was thinking about leaving corporate, the overwhelming question I had rattling around my brain was "what will people think?".
I wasn't doing anything sexy like building a tech startup. I wasn't going to have a job title that showed my seniority (a position I had worked so hard to get) - and I was about to give up a six-figure salary.
In all honesty, I didn't know who I was without those things.
I have always been Type A, an eldest child and good with academics and learning. I went to grammar school, got a 2:1 in Architecture at uni and was determined to work my way up the career ladder.
Even when I struggled, my answer was to do more. Work harder, push myself more.
My job title and salary bracket were like credibility tags.
But it's also the thing that kept me stuck for so long. Because I didn't know who I was without those things.
I am still working it out now and I have come so far in figuring out my self-worth, but in my own coaching and the coaching I have done for others, I have realised this:
The most powerful thing you can build in your career is a sense of self that doesn’t disappear when your job does.
Because here’s the truth → you don’t own any of the things you attach your self-worth to in work. The title. The salary. The sexiness of the company brand. They can all be taken away in a restructure, a reorg, or a redundancy.
And if you’re the one choosing to leave, one of the hardest things to face is the quiet fear of who you’ll be without those status symbols.
Your worth isn't in the "borrowed" labels.
It's in the things you own
- Your character.
- Your strengths.
- Your resilience
- Your leadership
- Your experience
- Your mindset
- The impact you have
- The way you delivered outcomes
- The way people feel when working/being with you.
These are also things that grow and evolve and are completely in your control to change and improve.
That's a lot of power to be walking around with!
Think of it like your operating system: it's your instruction manual for how you do everything. And when something feels hard, challenging or broken - it's usually because something in the OS needs updating.
So if you are asking the question "who am I" (something people ask a lot of themselves when going through change)
Answer those questions. That's who you are. That's what makes you someone worth listening to, working alongside, spending time with 🤍
3....2....1....move
(Stealing this concept from James Clear's newsletter because it's brilliant)
3 → Micro Truths 🧠
- If your self-worth is rooted in a job title, you don’t own it - your employer does.
- The most valuable thing in your career is the one thing they can’t take in a restructure: who you are.
- When you stop tying your worth to your role, you make braver, bolder career moves.
2 → Spotlights 🔦
1. “Be so rooted in yourself that nobody’s absence or presence can disturb your peace.” - Marc & Angel Chernoff
In their book Getting Back to Happy, the authors talk about the danger of building your identity on things outside your control. For example; jobs, relationships, and external validation. Because when those things shift (and they will), you feel like the ground has been pulled from under you.
The solution? Anchor your identity in your values, skills, and inner character. That way, you can navigate change without losing yourself.
Get the NYT bestseller book & audiobook here
2. The ‘Two Mountains’ concept by David Brooks
In his book The Second Mountain, Brooks describes two phases of life: the first is built on achievement, status, and personal success. The second is about deeper purpose, service, and meaning. The crisis comes when people realise the first mountain isn’t enough that’s the moment careers, identities, and values get redefined. It’s exactly the shift many leaders go through when they outgrow the corporate markers they once chased.
Get the International bestseller book & audiobook here
NB: both of these links are affiliate links.
1 → The Big Question 🤔
If you couldn’t mention your job title or the organisation you worked for when meeting someone for the first time...how would you introduce yourself?
Like the new format? Let me know- I'd love to hear from you and I reply to every email!
Have a great weekend when you get there
Yas x
PS: I have 2 free 1:1 slots to start in September - these don't come around often, as I only take a limited number of 1:1 clients at a time. If you are a senior leader who wants to thrive both inside AND outside your career. Investment is £4999 and you'll have me as a coach in your pocket for three months to step into your next career path. Reply to this email with "UNTAPPED"
