Why this practice?
Knowing what you won’t tolerate protects your wellbeing and career integrity (Harvard Business Review, 2021).
What is it?
A shortlist of non-negotiables in work conditions or values.
How to use it
Write down 3 things you refuse to compromise on.
Refer to them when reviewing job offers or career changes.
Closing thought
Saying “no” clearly makes space for the right “yes.”
Why this practice?
Carving out time to dream allows for deeper self-connection and clearer planning (Stanford Life Design Lab).
What is it?
An hour dedicated to visualising your ideal career.
How to use it
Block one hour in your calendar.
Journal, sketch, or mind-map: What would your perfect workday look like?
Let intuition lead. Don’t filter.
Closing thought
The future begins when you give it space.
Why this practice?
Understanding where you are helps clarify what you need next (McKinsey, 2023).
What is it?
Identifying your current phase: e.g., learning, building, recovering, or transitioning.
How to use it
Reflect on your current energy, needs, and goals.
Choose a “season” that fits.
Align your time, choices, and support systems accordingly.
Closing thought
Career clarity starts with naming your now.
Why this practice?
Defining preferences sharpens career focus and supports intentional decision-making (HBR, 2022).
What is it?
A running list of things you want more of—and less of—in your next role.
How to use it
After any meeting or task, write “I want more of this” or “less of that.”
Review weekly for emerging themes.
Use it to vet future roles and projects.
Closing thought
Clarity grows one honest note at a time.
Why this practice?
Small-scale testing helps reduce fear and build confidence in trying new directions (Ries, 2011).
What is it?
A micro project or experiment to test a new career idea with low risk.
How to use it
Pick an idea: a new role, skill, or task.
Commit to trying it for a set time—e.g., a weekend project or volunteer role.
Reflect on what you enjoyed, learned, or want to avoid.
Closing thought
You don’t need a leap, try a step.
Why this practice?
Identifying what energises you provides insight into roles and environments where you'll thrive (Gallup, 2021).
What is it?
A simple list of tasks, people, and settings that uplift and motivate you.
How to use it
Set a timer for 10 minutes.
Write everything that gives you energy at work.
Reflect on what patterns emerge, these are clues to your best-fit career.
Closing thought
Your career thrives where your energy flows.
Why this practice?
Values change with life stages. Awareness leads to alignment.
What is it?
Checking in with what matters most in your work now.
How to use it
List your top 5 work values.
Note which ones are non-negotiable today.
Closing thought
When values lead, fulfilment follows.
Why this practice?
Visioning helps clarify what change is for.
What is it?
A one-page snapshot of your ideal work day.
How to use it
Write hour by hour: what are you doing, with whom, and why?
Closing thought
If you can describe it, you can design it.
Why this practice?
Modelling provides inspiration and insight.
What is it?
A conversation with someone doing what you’d like to do next.
How to use it
Ask about their path, decisions, and advice.
Listen more than you talk.
Closing thought
We grow through stories we borrow and reshape.
Why this practice?
Career change doesn’t always mean a leap, it can be a shift.
What is it?
Looking at jobs close to your current skills and values.
How to use it
Ask: “What are 3 roles one step away from mine?”
Research people in those roles.
Closing thought
Sometimes, the next best step is nearby.
