I was a director of product development, managing a large team, when my boss told me, "I want you to be my successor." It was meant as a gift, and in many ways it was one. Someone I respected saw a future for me and wanted to hand it over.
I said thank you. Inside, a voice answered before I had time to think: that isn't what I want. It was a light-bulb moment. My passion and purpose had been moving in a new direction for a while, and I hadn't been listening.
It was a light-bulb moment.
My passion and purpose had been moving in a new direction for a while, and I hadn't been listening.
I had spent years learning to listen to other people: customers, vendors, colleagues, and a CEO who once spelled the word out for me. I had much less practice listening to myself. This voice came with worry attached. I was afraid my boss would be disappointed that I didn't want to follow in his footsteps, and that everyone else in my life would feel the same.
Even so, “No thanks” felt like the right thing to feel, do, and say.
Back in 2019 I wrote about three ways to listen to yourself. Passion asks where you lose track of time, the state Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi called flow. Power asks what you do well that leaves you with more energy than you started with, which is how Marcus Buckingham describes a strength. Purpose asks what matters enough to keep you showing up. Stepping into my boss’ role used my strengths. My passion and purpose wanted something different.
So I told my boss. That was the first step. Then I reached out to people working in Learning and Development and talent roles to learn where the opportunities were and where my product background would be most useful. Those conversations led me into corporate Learning and Development, where I changed from developing products to developing people. That path led, in time, to my own coaching and facilitation practice.
These days I also pull tarot or oracle cards each morning.
To learn more about my Tarot journey click here
I check in with that inner voice often now. Since that light-bulb moment, I’ve learned to notice it sooner and to trust it when it speaks up, even when it says something the people around me may not expect to hear. These days I also pull tarot or oracle cards each morning. The card gives me a prompt, and the practice gives me a few minutes to tune in and hear what my inner voice has to say about it.
