Most career advice misses the problem - even when it sounds sensible
If you’re feeling unsettled at work, you’ve probably received plenty of advice
"Maybe it’s time to move."
“Set better boundaries.”
“You need a bigger challenge.”
“Find a new environment.”
Advice can often sound logical and even encouraging, but...
It's likely to be skipping an essential step: diagnosis.
It jumps straight to solutions.
It prioritises action before the issue is properly understood.
It assumes one solution fits everyone - despite very different roles, responsibilities and contexts.
Without diagnosis people often change roles and then find themselves recreating the same problem.
When the discomfort follows you
This is something I often see.
You make a thoughtful move - a new role, new team, new organisation.
At first, things improve. Then something familiar returns - frustration, flatness, misalignment.
If advice hasn't helped, it is not because you are resistant. Without clarity, people often make changes that look decisive but don't solve the real issue. The discomfort returns in a new role, team or organisation.
Without properly diagnosing the symptoms, it’s easy to misread the signals.
Clarity before change
Before making another decision, it helps to pause and ask:
What is it that's driving this discomfort?
Fatigue?
Values misalignment?
The way decisions are made?
Professional confidence?
Environment?
When you understand the drivers, your options will become a lot clearer. You'll stop making reactive moves and start making informed ones.
But it can be difficult to gain the clarity you need.
The 'Career Stuck Diagnostic' helps you identify the problem
It's a 5-10 minute diagnostic which gives you a personalised view of what may be shaping how work feels right now, before you decide whether or not change is needed. It provides reassurance that subsequent decisions are based on insight, not frustration.
If you’re questioning your role or wondering whether a move is the answer, this is a good place to start.
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