345: Mid-Career Pivot Without Regret: How to Let Go of Sunk Costs and Build a Career You Love with Lisa Kaplin

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If you are a mid-career professional who feels stuck, burned out, or questioning whether your career still fits, this episode will help you rethink what forward progress actually looks like. I sit down with executive leadership coach and psychologist Lisa Kaplin to explore what it takes to walk away from a path you invested years of time, money, and identity into and still trust yourself to build something better.

We talk about the reality many professionals face in their late 30s, 40s, and 50s. You did everything right. You earned the degree, built the resume, and climbed the ladder. Yet something feels off. This is not failure. It is often the beginning of real career clarity.

Lisa shares her own mid-career pivot from clinical psychology to coaching, including the emotional and financial weight of leaving behind advanced degrees and managing student debt. We unpack how to move beyond sunk cost thinking so you can make decisions based on where you want to go, not where you have already been.

If you are navigating a difficult job market, dealing with a challenging manager, or feeling like you are just trying to get through each day until retirement, this conversation will challenge how you think about your next move. You will learn how to shift from stress-based decision-making to a more grounded and intentional approach that helps you lead and SHOW UP more effectively.

This episode is designed for mid-career professionals who want more clarity, more impact, and a career that actually aligns with who they are today.

What You Will Learn in This Episode

 How to recognize when your career no longer fits and what to do next  Why ignoring sunk costs is a strategic decision, not just a mindset shift  The difference between therapy and coaching and how each supports growth  Why “have to” thinking keeps you stuck and how to reframe it into choice  How to make career decisions from a place of clarity rather than stress  Practical ways to create forward momentum even in a difficult job market  How to navigate current workplace realities, including overworking and AI integration 

Connect with Lisa Kaplin

Website | LinkedIn 

Support the show

If this episode resonated with you and you want more support in how you SHOW UP for your career and life, I want to invite you to join the SHOW UP Leadership Lab. 

This is my group membership program where you'll get the clarity and support you need to SHOW UP more impactfully and effectively in your life and career. 

Visit https://johnneral.com/showup to join.

 
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