Have you ever looked at your career and thought: “How did I even get here?”

You’re not alone. A large number of professionals find themselves in careers they never really chose. Many mid-career professionals are working in roles that just happened based on convenience, financial need, or the opportunities that came their way. And while that path might have worked - and even paid off - for a while, it doesn’t always lead to fulfilment.

If you’re feeling stuck, uninspired, or wondering how to make a bigger impact, maybe it’s time to stop letting your career happen to you and start creating your career with intention.

The Accidental Career: A Story Many of Us Share

For nearly 20 years, I worked in the tech industry, trying many different roles, always learning and making life-long friends along the way. My worklife started when I trained as a software developer back in 2001 in my home country Germany. At that time ‘software developer’ was labelled a ‘job of the future’. A job of the future sounded like stability, good development potential and something that I cared deeply about at the age of 19: employment stability. Little did I know that my training set me up for a colourful and successful career in corporate tech, helping me to move abroad and making my life in Ireland. It was exciting and rewarding.

But something always felt… off. I started missing something. What was the impact of my work? The real impact?

I never stopped to ask myself:

• Is this really what I want to do with my life?

• What kind of work excites me and gives me a sense of purpose?

• How can I contribute to something bigger than myself?

Making the Shift to a Meaningful Career

Nowadays I do work that feels deeply meaningful to me and rewards me in ways that are not measurable by KPIs or money. My work supporting people and organisations who work passionately on positive futures lets my heart dance, nourishes me need for community and being part of something bigger than myself.

This shift didn’t happen overnight and in the beginning of my soul-searching journey I also didn’t know what was my ‘end goal’. What I did was follow my curiosity and love of learning and signing up for a part-time undergrad to learn what I really am intrigued about: the human condition and what we know how we think, feel and act in the world. This learning journey led me to the growing field of Positive Psychology, the science of human thriving, and from there it was only one step away to bring the tools, theories and practices from that field to help solve the biggest challenges of our time: climate change and birthing regenerative futures.

Today, I focus on meaningful learning and helping others do the same—especially those looking to transition into sustainability and impact-driven careers. Whether I’m delivering climate training for local councils in Ireland, or employee resilience training with a twist for international organisations across Europe and the world, or having these deeply transformative 1:1 coaching conversations with courageous professionals through career shifts, my work now aligns to my values, inspires my mind and makes my heart dance.

Making this change wasn’t easy. It required deep self-reflection, planning, and the courage to step away from a familiar path. And it’s a journey that I have heard in 100s of versions from people across the world. So I started wondering what are the drivers behind this growing desire to shift careers toward impact, sustainability and meaning?

Why More People Are Seeking Impactful Careers

The desire for purpose at work isn’t just a personal feeling, it’s backed by research. Gallup’s 2023 State of the Global Workplace Report found that nearly 59% of employees feel disengaged or are quietly quitting, showing just how common career dissatisfaction is. Similarly, Harvard Business Review reports that people who align their work with their values and passions are more engaged and productive.

At the same time, demand for sustainability-focused careers is on the rise. LinkedIn’s Global Green Skills Report (2023) revealed that green job postings have increased by almost 20% year over year. My own Climate Career Movement Report (2023) found that more professionals than ever are seeking roles in climate action, sustainability consulting, and corporate responsibility. Read the full report.

What all these studies highlight is that the world of work we have created is for a large part disconnected from real impact, feels meaningless and people just feel like a number in a system out of touch and out of true inspiring vision and leadership.

If you are at that crossroad in your career, let me assure you that there is a world of work out there that offers you more than ‘climbing the career ladder’. So how to you start in finding your career sweetspot?

Steps to Designing a Career With Purpose

If you’re ready to shift gears and build a career that feels more meaningful, here’s how to get started:

1. Get Clear on What Matters to You
   Start with a blank page of paper and write words, or sketch things that really matter to you. Don’t just think about what you do at work. Think about the moments you feel part of something important, or where you felt you really did something meaningful. What factors can you identify that help you get clear on what really matters?

2. Identify Your Strengths and Transferable Skills
   Many people assume that a career transition means that they have to start from scratch. That is not the case! You have gathered skills, expertise and strengths that you can transfer into any new job and career. A lot of my clients are surprised how many transferable skills we can uncover together that renew their confidence in their abilities and make that career transition look possible!

3. Follow Your Curiosity
   Allow yourself to think outside the box and follow your curiosity. Do you have a passion project or an area that you always wanted to learn more about? Join a course or volunteer in that space to connect with like-minded people to learn and experiment together.

4. Learn to Care for Your Emotional and Mental Wellbeing

   This is not just a nice-to have, resilience, cognitive agility and emotional regulation are essential in a world that is too fast, too demanding, and too broken. The biggest act of kindness for your future self is to invest in strategies to mind your own wellbeing. If you find it hard to know how or how to get started, you could work with a coach together who has wellbeing in their toolkit too. Personally, I coach holistically, which means all clients who come for career topics to me will also build a personalised resilience toolkit.

5. Find Your Community.
   Research continuously teaches us that community is the antidote to loneliness, climate anxiety and the growing polarisation we see across the world. Invest time in finding your own community locally or through online networks. If you can’t find a group of people, build your own! When I was looking to find climate aware people in my area, I could only find conferences, talks or seminars, but I was after real connection and conversations. In a spontaneous move I set up an event which I called the “Dublin Climate Dinner” and to my surprise 16 people showed up! It’s now a regular thing and a growing community with over 100 people. I share this to tell you that you don’t need to have any experience in community building or event organisation, all you need is a bit of courage and a local space. When you create the space, your people will come!

How Career Coaching Can Help

Changing careers can feel overwhelming, daunting and confusing. That’s where career coaching comes in. A coach helps you gain clarity, map out a strategy, and navigate challenges along the way.

I work with professionals who want to transition into more meaningful, impact-driven careers. Through coaching, I help you identify what truly excites you, explore career options that align with your values, and build a step-by-step plan to get there. With the right guidance, you can move forward with confidence and create a career that feels fulfilling and purpose-driven.

Are you ready to take control of your career and do work that matters? Let’s connect and start designing your future today!