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If you are a mid-career professional who feels stuck, burned out, or questioning whether your career still fits, this episode will help you rethink what forward progress actually looks like. I sit down with executive leadership coach and psychologist Lisa Kaplin to explore what it takes to walk away from a path you invested years of time, money, and identity into and still trust yourself to build something better.

We talk about the reality many professionals face in their late 30s, 40s, and 50s. You did everything right. You earned the degree, built the resume, and climbed the ladder. Yet something feels off. This is not failure. It is often the beginning of real career clarity.

Lisa shares her own mid-career pivot from clinical psychology to coaching, including the emotional and financial weight of leaving behind advanced degrees and managing student debt. We unpack how to move beyond sunk cost thinking so you can make decisions based on where you want to go, not where you have already been.

If you are navigating a difficult job market, dealing with a challenging manager, or feeling like you are just trying to get through each day until retirement, this conversation will challenge how you think about your next move. You will learn how to shift from stress-based decision-making to a more grounded and intentional approach that helps you lead and SHOW UP more effectively.

This episode is designed for mid-career professionals who want more clarity, more impact, and a career that actually aligns with who they are today.

What You Will Learn in This Episode

• How to recognize when your career no longer fits and what to do next
• Why ignoring sunk costs is a strategic decision, not just a mindset shift
• The difference between therapy and coaching and how each supports growth
• Why “have to” thinking keeps you stuck and how to reframe it into choice
• How to make career decisions from a place of clarity rather than stress
• Practical ways to create forward momentum even in a difficult job market
• How to navigate current workplace realities, including overworking and AI integration

Connect with Lisa Kaplin

Website | LinkedIn

Support the show

If this episode resonated with you and you want more support in how you SHOW UP for your career and life, I want to invite you to join the SHOW UP Leadership Lab.

This is my group membership program where you'll get the clarity and support you need to SHOW UP more impactfully and effectively in your life and career.

Visit https://johnneral.com/showup to join.

Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here.

Connect with John on LinkedIn here.
Get John's New Mid-Career Journal on Amazon here.
Follow John on Instagram @johnneralcoaching.
Subscribe to John's YouTube Channel here.

Send us Fan Mail

If you are a mid-career professional doing everything right but still feeling stuck, this episode will challenge how you think about effort, visibility, and advancement in today’s job market.

I see this pattern all the time. You are producing high-quality work, hitting your goals, and showing up consistently. Yet you are not getting promoted, not being tapped for bigger opportunities, and not being recognized for the value you bring. The issue is not your work ethic. It is how your value is perceived and understood by the people making decisions about your career.

In this episode, I break down what is actually required to move forward at mid-career. The job market today rewards more than performance. It rewards clarity, visibility, and the ability to communicate your impact in a way that others can quickly understand and advocate for.

We start with a simple but revealing question. Can your boss clearly explain your impact in 10 seconds? If not, you may be more invisible than you think.

From there, I introduce a more strategic way to approach your career. I want you to think like a portfolio manager. Every project, responsibility, and initiative is an investment. The return on that investment should not just be completed work. It should be visibility, influence, promotability, or growth into your next role. If your work is only keeping you busy, it may be keeping you safe but also keeping you stuck.

We also explore how to build credibility beyond your organization so your reputation is not limited to one environment. When you engage on LinkedIn, participate in professional associations, speak, or lead workshops, you create external signals that increase your visibility and strengthen your positioning both inside and outside your company.

If you are ready to stop guessing and start building real momentum in your career, this episode will give you a more strategic lens for how to show up and move forward.

Resources and Next Steps:

If you are ready to take a more intentional approach to your career and leadership growth, I invite you to join the SHOW UP Leadership Lab. This is my monthly membership where mid-career professionals build clarity, increase visibility, and position themselves for promotion and greater impact.

Learn more and join here:
https://john

Support the show

If this episode resonated with you and you want more support in how you SHOW UP for your career and life, I want to invite you to join the SHOW UP Leadership Lab.

This is my group membership program where you'll get the clarity and support you need to SHOW UP more impactfully and effectively in your life and career.

Visit https://johnneral.com/showup to join.

Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here.

Connect with John on LinkedIn here.
Get John's New Mid-Career Journal on Amazon here.
Follow John on Instagram @johnneralcoaching.
Subscribe to John's YouTube Channel here.

Send us Fan Mail

I celebrated my 57th birthday with a tradition that never changes, a Carvel ice cream cake. That moment took me back to something simple and familiar, but it also sparked a deeper reflection I hear from so many mid-career professionals right now. You are doing everything right on paper. You are showing up, delivering results, and being responsible. And yet, something feels off. You feel stuck, unseen, or like your career has stalled.

In this episode, I challenge the difference between surviving and thriving at mid-career. Because survival mode can look a lot like stability, but it often masks stagnation. If you are playing not to lose instead of playing to win, your career will reflect that.

I walk you through three critical areas where this shift shows up quickly and what you can do to take back control of your career direction.

First, we look at your work and visibility. If you are only known for execution, you may have unintentionally trained others to overlook you as a leader. I share how to position your unique professional value, advocate for opportunities before they are posted, and lead conversations that focus on impact rather than just tasks.

Next, we talk about energy and burnout. If you are starting your week already exhausted or counting down to the weekend, your strategy is working against you. Exhaustion is not a badge of honor. It is a leadership liability. I explain how boundaries, energy management, and intentional focus directly influence your ability to grow, lead, and get promoted.

Finally, we explore identity. Many mid-career professionals are holding onto an outdated definition of success that no longer fits who they are or what they want. I show you how to shift your mindset so you can make decisions from clarity and confidence instead of fear and uncertainty.

If you are tired of feeling stuck, overlooked, or unsure about what comes next, this episode will help you move from overthinking to intentional action.

Resources and Next Steps:
If this episode resonated with you and you are ready to stop operating in survival mode, I want to invite you to take the next step.

Join the SHOW UP Leadership Lab where I help mid-career professionals build clarity, increase visibility, and position themselves for promotion and greater impact.

Learn more at johnneral.com/showup

Support the show

If this episode resonated with you and you want more support in how you SHOW UP for your career and life, I want to invite you to join the SHOW UP Leadership Lab.

This is my group membership program where you'll get the clarity and support you need to SHOW UP more impactfully and effectively in your life and career.

Visit https://johnneral.com/showup to join.

Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here.

Connect with John on LinkedIn here.
Get John's New Mid-Career Journal on Amazon here.
Follow John on Instagram @johnneralcoaching.
Subscribe to John's YouTube Channel here.