The Beauty of the Blank Page
Writing was a huge part of my life from a young age.
My mom says I'd sit in the backseat of the car "writing." I'd fill page after page in a loopy cursive well before I knew the alphabet let alone how to actually write (a classic Caroline fake-it-until-you-make it move).
You might know that I grew up thinking I'd have a career in writing...and that a writing career didn't happen, other than a short stint in Corporate Communications.
You probably don't know that I barely wrote anything for close to 20 years.
It's not that I didn't have ideas. Inspiration came from everywhere all the time. In some ways, I never stopped writing because I was always writing in my head.
The problem was translating all those ideas to paper.
Every time I sat down to write, if I even allowed myself to do so, all I saw was the blank page.
All the ideas swirling in my head were instantly gone. I didn't know where to start, so I didn't. Weeks turned into months. Months turned into years.
Years of NOT doing something I was put on this earth to do, ya'll.
I see this same pattern with career changers.
You know you need to make a change. You may even have some ideas about what would make you happy. But you have no clue where to start, so you don't.
Just like writing, designing a career you love is about embracing the blank page.
It's about getting started knowing that you won't have all the answers in one sitting. Giving yourself time and space to let the ideas flow. Developing themes and discovering plot twists.
It's showing up on the good days, the bad days, and all the days in between to first get clear on what you really want in your career and then go after it.
It's being persistent and consistent until the roller coaster of highs and lows evens out. Changing your thinking from, "What if I show up and nothing happens?" to "What's going to happen when I show up?"
You create the story of your career and life one paragraph at a time.
Most people don't stick with it. That's why 85% of the global workforce reports feeling disengaged from their jobs. They stare at the blank page for a bit, get freaked out, then give up.
(I wonder if these same people expect to get in shape by going to the gym a few days in January then taking the rest of the year off.)
I don't know anyone that has consistently shown up and faced the blank page that hasn't exponentially changed their career and life for the better. They start with an idea, then build on it, then expand it some more. In time, the pages fill in.
You get to create your career on your terms. The beauty of the blank page is that you get to fill it with whatever you want.
Start writing. I'm here if you need help.
Author Bio:
Before becoming a coach, Caroline worked in management consulting and financial services. She's made it her mission to help people grow, contribute, and get wherever they want to go.
She’s also a tennis fanatic, aspiring Minimalist, FIRE (Financial Independence and Retire Early) enthusiast, and Aloha Spirit seeker 🤙. She loves to share stories from her unconventional life and career focused on freedom, creativity, fun, health, family, and community. If she can do it, you can, too.
The life and career you want is possible once you have the roadmap. Take the first step by downloading your free guide: 4 Steps To Take Back Your Life and Design a Career With Purpose.
