Have you ever felt that unsettling question echo in your mind: 'What’s next?'

I recently talked to a brilliant C-suite executive—let’s call her Susie. After many years dedicated to a leadership position, the company she’d poured her care and energy into was about to close down. Susie was the perfect example of someone feeling lost in her career and wondering what to do next.

While there were a lot of potential options for someone as competent and experienced as her, she just didn’t know what she wanted at this point. Other than a vacation, that is.

What Vacations Can Reveal About Your Next Career Move

This brings me to something fascinating about vacations. Susie’s situation reminded me so much of how people approach their travels. You see, when it comes to holidays, people generally fall into one of two camps:

• 📋 The Planning Approach: My mother, for instance, is a master travel strategist. Weeks before a trip, she’ll dive deep into travel guides, emerge with color-coded maps, and craft itineraries that would probably make a military general consider hiring her on the spot.
• 🧭 The Vacation Exploration Approach: Then, there’s me. My most cherished holiday memories often come from simply meandering. To me, there's nothing more fun than spontaneously turning down an unfamiliar street, following a sudden impulse, or stumbling upon a hidden gem.

Now, you might be asking: 'Okay, Louise, but what does my vacation style have to do with my professional life?' That’s an excellent question!

Why You Can't 'Think' Your Way Out of Being Stuck

Here’s the thing: when faced with a problem, our natural inclination is often to think our way out of it. This is the "Planning Approach" to life, and it's a common response for how to figure out your career path when you're stuck.

This analytical approach is incredibly effective when the choices are clearly defined. But when the options become limitless, it can often lead to what psychologists call analysis paralysis, where the sheer volume of choices makes it impossible to decide. (While we're exploring this for big career questions, this same mental gridlock can happen with daily tasks. For those moments, I've created a separate guide on how to break free from task-based analysis paralysis.)

This is why the analytical approach so often fails when you're asking what to do when your job doesn't feel right anymore—the "right" answer simply isn't on a map. Our minds excel at optimizing within clear boundaries, but what happens when the map is blank?

In Susie’s unique predicament, the possibilities weren't limited; they felt limitless.

💡 There are problems you can't think your way out of.

The rational mind falters when confronted with an open space. This is where intuitive career planning—the "Vacation Exploration Approach"—truly shines. When we explore, we shift from thinking 🤔 to feeling ❤️. And trusting your intuition in your career can help you navigate vast, unchartered territory, like the one Susie found herself in.

How to Apply This Approach to Find Your Path

Here's how to apply the "Vacation Exploration Approach" to illuminate your own path forward:

• Choose your exploration zone. Identify the specific area of your life where you're seeking clarity.
  For example: "I want to know what my work will look like once this company closes."
• Gently set aside your analytical mind. For this exercise, consciously unhook from the need to think your way to a solution.
• Tune into your desired feeling. Instead of what you want to do, focus on how you want to feel. What does true fulfillment actually feel like? Beyond a good salary, we crave nourishment from our work through things like growth and contribution. This is the key to finding a career that truly aligns with your values.
  For example: "I want my work to feel expansive and joyful. I want to feel valued, like I’m truly offering something meaningful, and I crave a profound sense of freedom."
• Embody that feeling. As best you can, truly feel that desired state in your body. Let it resonate within you.
• Allow the feeling to be your career compass. In the coming days, weeks, or even months, use this embodied feeling as your intuitive guide.
  For example: "Two options just landed on my desk. One feels incredibly pressurized, which is not in alignment with the feeling I want to have. The other feels good, so that’s where I’ll begin my exploration."

Takeaway

If, like Susie, you find yourself in an open space period in your work life, remember that your thoughts aren't always your most reliable guide. Instead, I invite you to embrace the "Vacation Exploration Approach."

Release the pressure to figure it out with your mind. Get clear on how you want to feel as you step into whatever is next. This is the first step in heart-centered career planning. While you may not know the exact job title you want, knowing how you want to feel is a powerful and reliable guide.

P.S.: Are you seeking a compass for what's next?

If navigating career uncertainty on your own feels a little daunting, know that you don't have to wander alone. I can help you tune into how you truly want to feel in your work and co-create a path that aligns with your deepest desires. If you're ready to explore what's next with heart-centered support, I invite you to learn more about working with me here.