I was speaking to my parents a few weeks ago, and the conversation took me back to the core of so many conversations I have with coaching clients.

Their generation had a clear formula:

Work hard, be loyal, stick with it. Retire one day and finally enjoy life.

They didn't grow up with the internet. They had no social media. No career influencers or remote work options. Business trips were infrequent and costly, not Zoom links and virtual backdrops.

And now, in complete contrast, we watch a younger generation seemingly rise to success overnight. Launching businesses from their phones, going viral in days, becoming millionaires before 25.

And if you have social media, you do not just see it, you are suffocated by it.

So what about us?

The middle generation - yes, I hate to say it, but “millennials” - who are caught between?

We followed the rules... and still feel lost

Most of us did everything we were told to.

We worked hard, got the grades, degree, the job and promotions. Built a life that looked good on paper, yet so many of us are left wondering:

Why don’t I feel happy?
Why do I still not know what I want?
What’s wrong with me for still feeling unsure?

We carry the expectations of the generation before us, and the comparison to the one after us and we wonder why we feel like failures for not having it all figured out.

Please know…you are not a failure! You are navigating a world that changed the rules halfway through.

There’s no timeline for figuring it out

It is so easy to believe that by now - whatever now looks like for you - you should have it all sorted.

A career you love. A five-year plan. Stability. Confidence. Clarity.

But, most people are still figuring it out and in silence too. 

What I have learned in my own journey, and in that of many of my clients, is that clarity comes when you take meaningful action. 

My own “not figured out” journey

When I first started feeling the itch for something more, I felt guilty even admitting it. On the surface, my life looked fine. Super job, lovely family, my health, lots to be grateful for.

But inside? I was restless. I felt like I had outgrown the box I had built for myself.

And yet, I had no idea what I wanted instead!

What helped me move forward at the time was not having a big plan. It was saying yes to one small thing, remaining curious, investing in myself and learning every day. I went through a period where I tried many new things, reached out to many people already there, did a ton of research and crammed what felt like a decade of “exploring” into a matter of months. 

It was learning through experience what I wanted, and just as importantly, what I didn’t want.

I realised I did not need to “figure it all out.”

I just needed to keep listening to myself, and taking the next aligned step.

Only now do I have a 5 year plan! This approach is not for everyone I know, but it is right for me. My plan will move me closer to financial freedom, it excites me, keeps me focussed and motivated to get through the tough days. 

Balancing a family, work, businesses, fitness, my wellbeing, can be a struggle sometimes. But I love that I have a plan. It gets me excited, and everything I do moves me closer to my life by design. 

For me it really is a WIN-WIN! I am actively engaged in everything I do today AND also creating an incredible future for myself and my family. 

If you feel like a failure, let me reframe it

But remember, I have been where you are now and I know how it feels. I am happy to say that you have everything you need inside you to get started, you just need some quiet time to realise what that may be. 

Be patient - It is okay if it takes time to find your path.
Be kind - It is okay if it is messy, we are human after all. 
Be resilient - It is okay if you still do not have a five-year plan.

What matters is that you stay curious, stay open, and keep moving toward what feels like your best life.

A few small steps to help you move forward

If this is where you are right now, here are a few actions you can take:

1. Stop comparing timelines.
   Yours is allowed to look different, there will always be someone younger and more successful than you, good for them. You do you.
   
   
2. Write down what you do know.
   Write about what lights you up. About what frustrates you. About what matters to you. And keep coming back it it. Check out my free resource "50 Questions to Ask Yourself" for inspiration and answer one a day.
   
   
3. Take one small action this week.
   A conversation. A new course. A bold “no.” A scary “yes.” Let action bring clarity.
   
   
4. Talk about it.
   You are not alone, and you do not have to carry this alone. Join my Facebook Community the Career Clarity Club, and did you know, my online course, The Career Clarity Blueprint, has it's very own private community?!
   
   
5. Remember that doubt is normal.
   Doubt is not a sign to stop. It is a sign you are stepping out of your comfort zone. And your comfort zone is where your dreams go to die. Don’t let YOUR dreams die.
   
   

Ready to find your clarity?

If you are in the thick of this and want support to make sense of it all, the Career Clarity Blueprint is designed for you.

It is everything I needed when I felt stuck between when I was utterly career stuck, and what I truly wanted.

You do not have to settle.
You do not have to figure it all out alone.
And you are certainly not too late.

You are just getting started.

Always with love, 

Elsa x