Joanne Lipman

What’s next—and how do I get there?

There’s no greater thrill than recognizing fresh opportunities that are right in front of your face, yet that others are too preoccupied to see.

Too bad. The struggle isn’t just necessary; in virtually every arena of transformation, it’s the key to finding a solution

1986,37 social psychologists Hazel Markus and Paula Nurius coined the phrase “possible selves” to describe how we envision our future: what we may become, or want to become, or even fear becoming. Some possible selves involve changing personalities, or being happier or more confident. Others may entail physical changes, like losing weight. But imagining possible selves can be especially revelatory for people who are rethinking their lives and careers. They try on different identities. They think about themselves in new roles, far afield from the ones they are in now. And like Patterson and Donovan, they imagine those futures well before they actually embark upon them.

Careers, of course, rarely follow a straight line.

He was never at a loss for ideas; the ad man had a creative brain that cranked out potential story lines nonstop.

That’s a common sentiment that I found among others who have successfully pivoted. They aren’t trying to invent a new identity; they are instead seeking a fuller expression of who they already are.