Lost Your Keys? Discovering What You’re Really Searching For

Read time: 5 minutes

Welcome to My Musings, your weekly source of inspiration and practical advice to help you navigate career transitions and life changes. In this newsletter, I explore what's been on my mind, share insights, and offer actionable steps to guide you through the challenges you might be facing.

Today’s Highlights:

• Musing: Why we often search in the wrong places—and how to refocus our efforts to find what we truly need.

• Word of the Week: "Paradox" – Embracing contradictions to unlock deeper understanding.

• Quote of the Week: Marianne Williamson on overcoming our deepest fear.

But First…

I’m excited to announce the upcoming launch of my Working with Purpose group program this fall. As I finalize the details, I’d love to hear your thoughts on what would be most valuable to you.

This program will bring together a small, select group of 10 intelligent, creative, and inspired individuals to:

• Identify the parts of yourself that you’re leaving out at work.

• Expand your capacity for creativity and space in your professional life.

• Overcome areas where you feel stuck in your career.

• Create meaningful actions that align with your career goals.

This program has the potential to transform your career—but it starts with your input. If you think this might be for you, or know someone who could benefit, please fill out this survey to help shape the program.

And, feel free to share it with anyone who might be interested.

Now, Onto Today’s Newsletter: Where Are You Looking?

One night, a man searches intently under a streetlight, looking for his lost keys. A passerby offers to help, and after a few minutes of fruitless searching, asks, "Are you sure you lost them here?"

The man shakes his head, pointing to a darker area further away. "No, I lost them over there, but I’m looking here because this is where the light is."

This is the "Streetlight Effect"—the tendency to search for answers only where it's easiest to look, even if it's not where we’re likely to find them.

We do this in life, too. We seek answers in familiar places, even when we know they might not hold the solutions we need. This becomes especially tricky when we’re asking deeper questions like:

• What are my strengths?

• Should I stay in my job or explore new opportunities?

• Where do I see myself in 10 years?

• What is my true vocation?

The real answers to these questions often lie in the dark, uncertain areas of our lives—the places we avoid because they force us to confront uncomfortable truths. As Carl Jung famously said, “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”

In other words, to discover your true calling, you must explore the parts of yourself that you might prefer to ignore. It’s challenging, requiring patience, diligence, and resilience. But just like the man with the lost keys, if you’re not willing to step outside the light, you may never find what you’re truly searching for.

Your Next Steps:

Take some time to reflect on the following questions. Find a quiet spot, grab a pen and paper, and turn off all distractions. Spend 20-30 minutes (or more) thinking about:

• What have I been avoiding thinking about lately?

• What questions arise when I acknowledge these things?

• Where should I look for the answers to these questions?

• How can I use what I’ve learned to move forward?

Word of the Week: Paradox

The word "paradox" comes from the Greek parádoxos, meaning "contrary to opinion." It encapsulates the idea of encountering the unexpected. In a world that values logic and consistency, paradoxes challenge us to accept that two contradictory truths can coexist.

Take the paradox of wisdom: the more we learn, the more we realize how little we know. This counterintuitive idea reveals a profound truth about the human experience. As our understanding deepens, so does our awareness of life's complexities, leading us to question our assumptions and embrace humility.

Paradoxes invite us to explore beyond the surface, into the grey areas where true insight often lies. In a world that craves simple answers, how can we learn to embrace the paradoxes that challenge us, rather than shy away from them?

Quote of the Week:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” — Marianne Williamson

Want to Dive Deeper?

I work with teams and individuals to uncover their deeper purpose, navigate challenging transitions, and answer the call to vocation. If you’d like to explore what’s coming up for you, get in touch.

I hope this newsletter has been helpful. See you next week!