Be Like Michelle
Be Like Michelle
Make an intentional career swerve (I can help)
Has anyone else been completely enamored with Michelle Obama the past several weeks (ok - years!)?
I’ve long been obsessed with Michelle for many reasons — her way with words; her grace in navigating life in the public eye; and her killer wardrobe — but above all, I admire her intentionality in steering her career towards something more personally fulfilling for her.
One of my favorite Michelle quotes is about a career pivot she made away from corporate law when she was on track to be an equity partner in a prestigious law firm:
“I was sitting in a sky-rise office, doing legal work that wasn’t fulfilling to me, and I couldn’t help but ask — what’s it all for?…If there’s some part of you that’s questioning your career, it’s important to listen to that. Our hearts sometimes know ourselves better than our minds do. For me, that meant pursuing a life of public service — a path I’ve been able to maintain since that major swerve. But even since I made that change, I’ve shifted roles and jobs as my life demanded it.”
– Michelle Obama1
Does this ring true for you? Maybe we should talk.
Over the last few years, I’ve also made an intentional career swerve away from a prestigious job – leading the corporate foundation and social impact efforts of a Fortune 200 company – to a portfolio focused on writing, speaking, and coaching.
After I shared the importance of self-promotion in my last newsletter, I realized that most people don’t know about my coaching — so I wanted to change that.
I help ambitious people contemplating a big career change get clear about what they want next and pursue it with confidence.
I talk more about my approach to coaching in this short video:
I’ll open up a few additional coaching spots this Fall, and then a few more in the new year (I may also teach a course next year on mid-career swerves). If you’re interested, fill out the form below and I’ll look forward to being in touch.
In Good Company
If you’re like Michelle and me and made the leap from your supposed “dream job” into something that turned out to be more fulfilling, you’re in good company. Check out these other famous people who also changed course mid-career:
Vera Wang was a figure skater and journalist before launching a bridal line at age 40. Over the last 3+ decades she’s built a global design-driven empire. Learn more in this Harvard Business Review article [gift link].
Don Fisher worked with his father in a cabinet-making company and invested in real estate before he and his wife Doris opened the first Gap store in 1969 when he was 40 years old. Learn more in his New York Times obituary [gift link].
Julia Child worked in advertising, media, and secret intelligence before graduating from culinary school at age 39. She published her first cookbook at age 49, which launched her career as a celebrity chef. Learn more in the documentary Julia [trailer].
I won’t pretend it’s not hard; this journey isn’t for the faint of heart. In my experience, intentional career swerves frequently involve doing things outside your comfort zone.2 But as Jess Sims says, “Never easy; always worth it” (IYKYK).
Additional Resources
If you’re intrigued by how these folks did it (or feeling envious of them – an instructive emotion!), here are some additional resources to explore:
London Business School Professor Herminia Ibarra’s Harvard Business Review article entitled “Why Career Transition Is So Hard.” My head almost fell off when I first read this piece, I was nodding so vigorously. Professor Ibarra’s suggestions at the end are spot-on. [gift link]
Jessi Hempel’s interview with artist Lisa Congdon on the career podcast Hello Monday. Lisa worked in education and took her first drawing class at 30. She left education at 39 to make art full-time.3 [link]
Lisa Congdon’s beautifully illustrated book A Glorious Freedom: Older Women Leading Extraordinary Lives featuring profiles of and interviews with women over age 40 living life on their own terms (including Vera Wang and Julia Child!).
Abby’s Latest
As longtime Practically Deliberate readers know, I read a lot of books (recommended reading list here). Sometimes I read while eating, which presents a particular challenge.
Enter my newest affordably luxury, a weight that holds the pages of my book open so I don’t have to. After some searching, I found a great one on Etsy that can be customized (you choose the leather and thread colors). It’s handmade and ships from Greece so requires some patience, but it’s gorgeous and worth the wait.
It would make an excellent holiday gift for a bookworm in your life (which could be you!).
Deliberately yours,
Abby
P.S. If you’re involved in a family business, you may be interested in a free virtual event next Monday, September 16 called Money & Relationships: An Evidence-Based Framework for Making Decisions. I’m joining Family.Inc Founder Josh Gentine for a discussion about how to make high-stakes decisions confidently and deliberately while staying true to yourself and your family. Register here to save your spot.
This quote is taken from her answer to a reader’s question on Goodreads, which somehow seems even more apropos.
See above video (which I somehow managed to set to music)! Not to mention this post and self-promotion in general!
Fun fact: the prints in my office (which you can see behind me in the video) are by Lisa Congdon. I bought them years ago as a gift to myself to celebrate a big promotion.