How One Tough Decision Shaped My Career Path (And How You Can Do the Same)
Why stepping back to reassess your career path is sometimes the smartest move you can make.
Sometimes, the most valuable lessons come from realizing what isn’t right for you. This semester, I took a Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) course that challenged me in unexpected ways—not just academically, but personally and professionally.
Despite its valuable insights, I quickly realized that HCI didn’t align with my future goals. This realization didn’t come easily. After over a decade in tech-focused roles, shifting away from a technical path feels like an enormous pivot. But here’s the truth: stepping back and reassessing is a skill, not a setback.
The Importance of Honest Reflection
One of the hardest things about career growth is admitting when something doesn’t fit. For me, this HCI course was a turning point. While I gained respect for the field, it wasn’t a path that inspired me to move forward. Instead, it made me consider an entirely different direction: pursuing an MBA in the future.
This decision wasn’t without doubt. After all, I’ve built my career in the tech world. Choosing to explore a leadership-oriented degree like an MBA meant rethinking what I want out of the next chapter of my career. But as leaders, we owe it to ourselves (and those we lead) to ensure that our paths align with our strengths, goals, and passions.
When to Pivot (And How to Know If You Should)
So, how do you know when it’s time to pivot? Here are three key lessons I learned during this process:
Listen to Your Gut (And Your Boredom): If you’re feeling disengaged, it might not be burnout. It could be that your current path no longer excites you.
Evaluate the Skills You Want to Grow: For me, this was realizing that my strength lies in leadership and strategy—not necessarily deep technical expertise.
Be Willing to Let Go: Pivoting doesn’t erase the value of what you’ve already learned. It simply means building on that foundation in a new direction.
A Leadership Lesson in Discomfort
In any career, it’s easy to feel locked into one path—especially when we’ve invested so much time and energy in building it. But true leadership often involves making hard decisions, even when they take you into unfamiliar territory.
If you’re currently evaluating a career pivot or rethinking your goals, I encourage you to lean into that discomfort. It might just lead you somewhere better than you imagined.
I’d love to hear your thoughts—have you ever had to make a similar career pivot? You can follow along and join the conversation here
Or on my YouTube channel, where I share more about leadership, career advice, and lessons learned.