The Unstuck Career

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In this Friday Focus episode, I explore the gap between who you are today and the version of you who has the job, freedom, autonomy, or happiness you want. The changes required may be smaller than expected, from shutting off screens at night to stopping after a set number of Reddit stories, but following through builds something essential: trust in yourself.

I also share why waiting until you “have it all figured out” can keep you stuck. The future version of you doesn’t appear all at once. Start practicing those habits now, even when giving something up feels miserable in advance. 

Join us on the morning Mindset Reset call: https://unstuckcareer.com/reset

If you're ready to take the next step and get unstuck and unstoppable, you can find time on Ken's calendar at https://unstuckcareer.com/unstuck

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This week, we unpack what it really costs to stay in a toxic workplace with Kasey James, who found herself in two back-to-back environments that eroded her confidence, relationships, and sense of self. How do you know when a bad job is temporary, and when the organization is simply operating exactly as it always has? Kasey shares the warning signs, the moment she knew she had to leave, and why “familiar” doesn’t mean comfortable.

You’ll hear how Kasey kept her job search moving despite rejection, cold messaged business owners on LinkedIn, and created an opportunity that wasn’t even posted. We also explore the danger of letting work become your identity, the value of searching while you still have an income, and why finding a better fit sometimes means setting aside your ego and making the opportunity yourself.

If you’re anxious every Sunday, losing pieces of yourself at work, or telling yourself that misery is normal, this episode will challenge you to want more and act with intention. You can connect with Kasey James on LinkedIn or at [email protected]. Want to connect with Ken? Head over to unstuckcareer.com

If you're ready to take the next step and get unstuck and unstoppable, you can find time on Ken's calendar at https://unstuckcareer.com/unstuck

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This week, I’m tackling the limiting beliefs that shut down your biggest goals before you even give them a chance. Have you ever thought, “I’d love to do that, but it’s not possible”? We’ll look at how quickly we talk ourselves out of what we want, whether that means opening a business, pursuing additional training, or stepping onto a TEDx stage again.

I’ll show you why you don’t need to know every step before setting a goal. Once you decide what you want, the next move becomes clearer, then the one after that. The real shift is giving yourself permission to pursue something before you have the skills, time, or perfect plan figured out.

If you’re ready to stop letting “I can’t” make decisions for you, this episode will help you think bigger and take the first step. Want to connect? Head over to unstuckcareer.com

If you're ready to take the next step and get unstuck and unstoppable, you can find time on Ken's calendar at https://unstuckcareer.com/unstuck

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This week, I sit down with Hannah Carvey to talk about the moment a career can start shrinking you instead of helping you grow. After more than two decades as a speech-language pathologist, Hannah realized her work had become less about helping people connect and more about paperwork, tracking minutes, and following someone else’s rules. Her decision to leave wasn’t sudden, but it did require a simple, uncomfortable step: saying out loud that she was done.

We explore fear, expectations, and the pressure to communicate or live “the right way.” Hannah shares why “so what?” became a message on her bathroom mirror, how stuttering taught her that pressure often makes things worse, and what it means to build your own path through the jungle instead of staying on the paved road.

Connect with Hannah Carvey on TikTok and Instagram at Communication for Life, and on LinkedIn by searching her name or business name. Want to connect? Head over to unstuckcareer.com

If you're ready to take the next step and get unstuck and unstoppable, you can find time on Ken's calendar at https://unstuckcareer.com/unstuck

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This week, we tackle the moment when you realize you’ve handed your career decisions to someone else. Maybe it’s your boss, your family, your friends, fear, or even the job market. I break down why “not to decide” doesn’t mean you made a decision. It means something else made it for you.

You’ll learn how to tell the difference between using advice and surrendering your authority. Advice can inform your decision, but it can’t replace it. We’ll look at the question that cuts through the noise: What do you want? Then, you’ll get an authority inventory to uncover where you’ve been letting other people or circumstances direct your life.

If you’re ready to make your own choices and own the outcomes, this chapter is your call to reclaim your authority and live into your purpose. Want to connect? Head over to unstuckcareer.com

If you're ready to take the next step and get unstuck and unstoppable, you can find time on Ken's calendar at https://unstuckcareer.com/unstuck

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This week, I talk with Deval, who is still in the middle of a career pivot from work that no longer fits toward a life built around service, mindfulness, and coaching. We explore what it feels like to move forward without a perfect plan, especially when comfort and certainty make staying put seem safer than taking the next step.

You’ll hear how one clarity conversation helped Deval stop waiting to have everything figured out, why small daily actions can create confidence, and how treating life like a playground can make the unknown feel less intimidating. We also unpack the fear that keeps people attached to jobs, relationships, and situations that aren’t serving them, even when something better may be waiting on the other side.

If you’re stuck between the familiar and the possibility of something more meaningful, this episode will remind you that clarity often comes after you move, not before. Want to connect with Deval? You can email her at [email protected] or follow her on TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@dailydoseofdeval

If you're ready to take the next step and get unstuck and unstoppable, you can find time on Ken's calendar at https://unstuckcareer.com/unstuck

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This week, I unpack what it means to drift through your career, taking whatever opportunity appears after the last one disappears. I share how I moved from sales to a call center, insurance, human resources, and FedEx, often responding to circumstances instead of choosing a direction. The cost of that drifting eventually showed up in my health, family life, and social life.

You’ll discover why familiar can feel safe even when it’s damaging, and why no job, government role, or traditional 9-to-5 comes with guaranteed security. I’ll challenge you to separate what feels familiar from what actually serves you, then identify three things you may have mistaken for safety.

Want to connect? Head over to unstuckcareer.com

If you're ready to take the next step and get unstuck and unstoppable, you can find time on Ken's calendar at https://unstuckcareer.com/unstuck

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This week, I talk with Patrick about walking away from the corporate ladder after reaching the kind of title and income many people spend their careers chasing. He shares how corporate politics, constant travel, and a job that demanded he leave the day his daughter was born forced him to question what success was costing him. His answer came with a massive pay cut, a lower title, and a move to Austin, Texas, but also the chance to build something from the ground up.

You’ll hear how Patrick uncovered the work that gives him energy by asking former colleagues where they saw him thrive, then reconnecting with his love of understanding people, crafting stories, and building brands. We also explore golden handcuffs, family support, and why money and status have nothing to do with intrinsic worth. If you’re tired of chasing the next rung and ready to find work that feels like yours, this episode will give you permission to pivot, even if the path takes two years. Want to connect? Head over to unstuckcareer.com

If you're ready to take the next step and get unstuck and unstoppable, you can find time on Ken's calendar at https://unstuckcareer.com/unstuck

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Chapter 3: The Rationalizer

The conversation focused on the voice that sounds reasonable while quietly keeping you stuck. In Chapter 3, “The Rationalizer,” the central belief is “I’m just being realistic,” but the stories created by the rationalizer may be believable without being true.

A cliff jump into a lake becomes a lesson in how excuses can grow larger than the fear behind them 02:38. A delayed response to a networking opportunity reveals how self-doubt can disguise itself as practicality, even when the opportunity is exactly what you want 06:44. The discussion explores the rationalizer’s favorite tactic: convincing you that you don’t want the things you actually want.

The episode closes with a practical challenge, a “rationalizer audit.” Identify the statements, assumptions, and stories keeping you from moving forward, then ask: “Is this really true?” 08:37

If you're ready to take the next step and get unstuck and unstoppable, you can find time on Ken's calendar at https://unstuckcareer.com/unstuck

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This week, I sit down with Lori, who has spent more than two decades in SBA lending and has reached a point where the Sunday evening dread, 10 to 14-hour workdays, and constant exhaustion have made staying stuck impossible. She’s ready to trade the W-2 and alarm clock for work that gives her room to serve people, pursue her faith, and be present with her four grandchildren.

We talk about reinventing skills, exploring AI and remote work, writing a book about her faith journey, and turning her strengths in budgeting, organization, cooking, and encouragement into meaningful services. Lori also shares the confidence struggles that held her back, and the small-step approach that’s helping her move forward: accomplish one thing today, then build from there.

If you’ve felt the pull toward something different but keep getting buried under fear, fatigue, or endless what-ifs, Lori’s story will remind you that a better life can begin with one uncomfortable step. Want to connect? Head over to unstuckcareer.com

If you're ready to take the next step and get unstuck and unstoppable, you can find time on Ken's calendar at https://unstuckcareer.com/unstuck