We spend a lot of time asking what’s next. We ask it of ourselves. We ask it of others. I know I ask it a lot of myself. It comes in different forms. Sometimes it’s: “What’s your next role? Where do you see yourself in five years?” Other times it’s more tangible: “What’s the next phase of the project? How are you going to salve this problem?” Some answers are simple, but some just linger in our heads like we have to make a change just to avoid an apparent misery that might be staring us down at the next turn.
Yet, somewhere along the way, we’ve made having an answer feel like a requirement for being successful, whether in life or just the day’s work. But, I propose there’s another question worth asking: “How long are you willing to wait before you do something about it?”
There are seasons when you can do everything you know to do and still have no idea what your next step should be. You’ve put in the work, built relationships, delivered the required results, and checked all the boxes. Then a time in life changes, a project ends, an “obvious” opportunity falls through, or something you thought you wanted no longer feels right. You’re left trying to figure out what all that effort was preparing you for. And while you’re figuring it out, it’s easy to convince yourself that a little more time will make the answer that more obvious. Well, guess what, it doesn’t. Procrastination is the enemy of progress.
Not to say that sometimes it can help, but only as so long as the time is spent in true mental navigation to prepare yourself for the battles ahead. But, sometimes, another day goes by, another year goes by, and you’re having the same conversation with yourself over and over. And then comes the worst: “What if?” You’d have pursued that idea if you just had more experience, more money, more confidence, more whatever. Right? Each reason bouncing around in your head sounds reasonable on its own, especially when you have real responsibilities, real mouths to feed. Eventually, though, you have to ask whether the waiting is helping you prepare or simply becoming a habit of denial and lack in faith in yourself.
In the AV world, we’re comfortable solving problems with defined outcomes. We can walk into a space, identify requirements, and start building toward something. We see it. We do it. Yet, career progress, career trajectory, rarely gives us that same level of clarity. There’s no commissioning checklist that confirms you’re ready for a new leadership role, career change, or even take the ultimate step and build something of your own. The truth is, you may have to make a move while you still have questions. And to be honest, that’s uncomfortable for people who take pride in knowing how things will work before any action is taken. Risk tolerance can be a blessing and a curse. Where is your level of risk tolerance? And, is that helping or hindering you?
The mantra of “now or never” carries weight because we know opportunities have a defined lifespan. The person who wants to collaborate with you now will eventually have to move on if not reciprocated. The position you should apply for will get filled, whether it’s by you or another person. The budget will get committed whether you petition for your fair share or not. And, the worst thing, someone else will solve the problem you’ve been thinking about, and get the credit you could have earned and deserved. We know that life’s realities don’t allow us to pursue every possibility in front of us… In fairness, some things deserve a clear no. But, the ones that truly matter deserve a decision while you still have a chance to make it.
That’s where knowing what matters to you becomes the single most useful mental clarity you can have. You may have no idea what “title” you want next, but you probably know the work that makes you feel useful. You know which problems stay with you after you step away, and the ones you know you can conquer in an instant. You know which conversations and people leave you wanting to do more, and those which are toxic for your growth. Seriously, if there’s one piece of advice I can give, it’s to pay attention to those things… Then give yourself something concrete to act on. Step out. Trust yourself.
Act. Take the step that moves you forward. Oh, but maybe also call the person whose advice you trust. Put the idea in front of someone who could actually become your cheerleader. Cuz, well, we’re not in this alone. I’m not going to be naive though either. I know the “business” side of this matters, too. We all have mortgages, families, employees, friends, bills, and responsibilities that have their own needs to be met. But the beautiful thing is that those are all your built in cheering section for when you take that leap of faith. Family are your backbone, your support. Friends buy you that beer when things get hard. Mortgages and bills are motivators to keep going. Every one of them is your built in accountability partner. So, get real. Give them dates and follow through, make them make you accountable for that goal you know you can reach, but it’s better to reach it together.
All that to say, be honest about what’s possible and make the decisions you have enough information to make. But don’t let your hesitation can become your reason to stop trying. Risk vs. reward is scary. But damn, I’ve never heard anyone who took the leap say it wasn’t worth it. (Psst, even if taking the leap failed, they all say it’s worth it. But that’s a theme for a whole other article.) what deserves your attention is what’s forward, what’s right there in front of you.
I don’t think we ever reach a point where the next step is always obvious. There’s always a sense of nervousness, and there should be. We’ll keep making decisions with an incomplete picture, hoping our experience and the people around us will help us make good ones. So, if there’s something you’ve been carrying around for a while, give it an honest look. Decide whether it matters enough to do something about, and be willing to live with that. Oh, but also be ready to act when the answer becomes clear You don’t have to know every step, but if you keep telling yourself “someday,” it’s worth asking what would make today any different? You got this.
