Step 02: ASSESS
“I had reached a crossroads. I thought, ‘Am I really doing something that gets me excited about what happens next?’”
- Kristin Cerano, Founder / Jane Hudson
"Where TF am I? How did I get here?"
It's 3 AM. You're staring at the ceiling. Your job looks great on LinkedIn – but something feels off. Maybe it's the endless Zoom calls that could have been emails. Maybe it's watching another less qualified peer get promoted. Maybe it's realizing you haven't felt truly excited about work since you can’t remember when.
The market doesn't care about your existential crisis. But it does reward those who know when to make their move.
Here's the truth about career crossroads: By the time you're asking yourself if it's time for a change, you're already six months late to the party. The best opportunities come to those who move first, not those who wait for permission or certainty.
Your decision framework:
Reality Check: Is your career plateau temporary or terminal?
Honest Audit: Are you growing or just getting older?
Control Assessment: Are you choosing change, or is change choosing you?
Commitment Test: Are you ready to burn the boats, or just window shopping?
Action Plan: What's your first move to make this real?
The market is efficient at identifying people who've stayed too long at the party. Don't be that person.
Your next move:
If it's your choice: Make it on your timeline, not when you're forced
If change is forced on you: Turn defense into offense
If you're on the fence: Remember that indecision is still a decision
Here's the cold truth: That pit in your stomach? It's not telling you to stay safe. It's telling you it's time to move.
And to quote David Byrne one more time: "Same as it ever was" is the riskiest career strategy of all.
Time to make your move.
What's your next step?