Off the Jungle Gym: When the Corporate Path Isn't Yours (Episode 4)

In episode four of her five-part series, Garland explains why she stopped chasing the traditional corporate "ladder" and reframed it as a "jungle gym" where careers move up, sideways, and elsewhere—requiring personal ownership and intentional choice. After spending time around executives, she realized the lifestyle, priorities, and the need to carry out top-down decisions often didn't align with who she wanted to be, even in roles that were otherwise a great fit. She shares how rejection led to redirection into consulting and teaching, sparked by earlier experiences, ad hoc coaching, and connections through her network, and how building something on her own terms felt more values-aligned. Garland challenges women—especially those pursuing executive leadership—to ask whether the path they're on truly matches what they want, how alignment feels, and to remember they can change their mind without self-judgment.

00:00 Series Recap

00:38 Off the Jungle Gym

01:40 Why Exec Life Didn't Fit

03:28 Rejection Is Redirection

04:44 Testing Consulting and Teaching

06:49 Building a Values Aligned Path

07:46 Questions for Ambitious Women

09:20 Permission to Change Your Mind

10:21 Closing and Next Episode

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