Follow These Signs That You Are On The Right Career Path | Ep #50

Have you been paying attention to the signs around you? There are signs everywhere! Signs can be subtle, but they can also hit you hard if you let them. If you're pondering a career change or any big life change this year, then you may just encounter a sign to show you that you are on the right, or wrong, path. In this mini-episode of the Second Act Success Career Podcast, host Shannon Russell, shares advice on how to be aware of signs from the universe and an experience she had this week that opened her eyes and reassured her that she was on the career journey she was meant for. For career advice and inspiration, take a listen to this episode of the Second Act Success Career Podcast. 

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Second Act Success Podcast
Season 1 - Signs That You're On The Right Career Path | Ep #50
Host: Shannon Russell
Transcription (*created by Descript and may not be perfectly accurate)


[00:00:00] Shannon: It's the 50th episode of the second act success podcast. I am so excited to be here in your ear and spending a few minutes of the day with you. 

Today. We are going to think back way back through the story of our lives to find some wisdom that we can use today right now. Are you ready? Let's go. . 

Are you at a crossroads in your career? Ready for a change, but you're not sure how to get there. Don't worry. We are about to produce your best life together. Welcome to the Second Act Success Podcast. I am your host. Shannon Russell. I am a former Television Producer turned boy mom. I left my dream job to find family balance and in doing so, I produced my dream life. Now I am a Business Owner, Podcaster, and Career Coach. My mission is to help other women, like you, find what they are truly meant to be doing. If you are ready to start over in your career or pivot to a new purpose, then get ready to be inspired by stories of women who have done [00:01:00] just that. We will share advice and actionable tips to motivate you as you move along on your path. It is time to shine. So let's start producing your balanced life of abundance today. This is Second Act Success. 





[00:01:19] Shannon: Hey, it's Shannon. If you are enjoying this podcast, then you will love my weekly newsletter. It's full of career advice, productivity tips, and of course inspiring stories of women who have launched a new career that they. Just go to second act success.co to sign up. Plus you'll get the My Success Vision Board to help you with your 2023 planning as well. Now it's back to the episode.

This is another mini episode of the second act success podcast. And it's just you and me. So I had a really interesting conversation this week that has been circling around in my head for the past few days. And I just wanted to share. So I'm going to ask you a question. [00:02:00] Have you ever just been going through your day? All is fine. Totally normal. Until someone says something that hits you like a ton of bricks. Or you hear a song that brings back a memory that you just can't shake or an actor on a show. It says a line that just resonates with you so much that the hairs on your arm stick up. 

This is what happened to me this week. 

As a career coach, I often get asked to share my career advice on other podcasts. So I go on podcasts as a guest. Well, I was on another show earlier this week when the host asked me this question. She said. If you could either go back in time or into the future to ask someone a question. Who would it be and what would you ask? I had never heard that detailed of a question. I mean, I have thought about what I would say to my younger self, or if I could go back in time and meet someone famous, who would it be? Judy Garland, just in case you're [00:03:00] wondering, because I'm such a wizard of Oz fan, and I have so many questions for her, but that's beside the point. so yeah, so this question, this particular question I was asked, I had never thought about, and it really threw me. And when you're being interviewed. You're thinking on your feet, it's just a conversation you know, it just kind of flows. I usually know kind of what the gist of the questions are going to be, but not this one. as she's asking me, I'm usually kind of quick on my feet and well, an answer came out of my mouth and it was so perfect. It was like, I was listening to myself and I had no idea what I was about to say. 

And it was kind of like, I was. Listening to find out what the answer would be like. Like I really was curious about what I was going to say to answer this question. 

My answer was that I would go into the past to see my grandpa and ask him questions about running the business that he began. While he was [00:04:00] in retirement. And gosh, like just saying that out loud makes me a little bit. 

Emotional. Thinking about just having the chance to do that. I. Would love to see my grandpa again. I love him so, so much. But while he was here, I have to say. I never cared about the fact that he ran this small cafe in our hometown. It was cool. , I worked there when I was in middle school, but I was never impressed by it. 

I was never impressed because I had no idea what it took to run a business. 

I only had the idea to venture into entrepreneurship. Now as an adult, I started seven years ago running my first business. So being in middle school and in high school and even college. I really just didn't have the appreciation for all that he was doing. 

however, since I opened my first business just [00:05:00] a few years ago, I haven't thinking more and more about my grandpa thinking more about. What he would think about this. Second act the created. 

Honestly, I think he would be in shock. Because all I ever wanted was to work in television ever since I was a little girl, I think I was six years old. When I first said I wanted to work in television and move to Hollywood. That was just always my dream. And that was the straight path I took since, since I was little. 

on the other hand, I've always kind of been this crazy spontaneous black sheep of the family. The first one to go to college, the first one to move out of our town. just kind of. Always doing the outrageous. And I think for that reason, he would completely laugh to know that I now. I am living back near my hometown. 

Running two businesses. He'd probably be so shocked that I left television. and just, hopefully he would be proud to. 

[00:06:00] But now the point I'm making is that I have pivoted my whole life. Leaving my dream career in TV to open, not one. But to businesses And now I can honestly say. Oh, grandpa. I get it. I get it now. And man, am I impressed? I am impressed that you forged papers to enroll in the war when you were just 14 years old. I'm impressed that you drove trucks through New York city every day. I'm impressed that you worked as a bartender for years. You worked numerous jobs to support five kids in nine grandkids. 

And I am impressed that when you should have been slowing down in retirement, You opened a cafe, just serve your community, something you had never done before. And man, I am impressed and I am so in awe of everything you did. 

And I guess my friend, why I'm bringing this story up is because it took this [00:07:00] one question from this one conversation from this one podcast host. To really kind of change my week around. 

this stranger, who I had just met and just started speaking to. Opened my eyes to something so close to me that I had never truly seen. My grandpa, who was my world for just being himself. Is now my world all these years later, because I am now seeing as an adult. 

Just how much more we have in common than I ever thought. 

Remember, I was on a straight path to Hollywood. It was Hollywood or bust for me since I was super, super little. No one could talk me out of it. Yet now as an adult, I am jumping around finding new passions and new. Talents of mine and discovering really more about myself and what I can do then I had ever given myself credit for, because all I focused on was that one dream. Does that make sense? 

It's not just one [00:08:00] thing that we are meant to do with our lives. It's all the things, My grandpa did a million different, crazy things in his life from jumping out of planes to being a contestant on the price is right too. Really being the best storyteller to anyone with an ear who would listen. 

All of these things made up who he was. And now I see that all of the adventures I have been on and the crazy risks I have taken in my life. Have led me to become the woman. I am. 

I guess my grandpa and I also have storytelling in common, right. As I sit here, sharing my story with you today. 

My point in sharing this with you is that we can all be multi-passionate. We can all have many goals and we can do many different things. We don't just have to decide when we're six years old, what we want to do for the rest of our life and throw any other idea or interest out the window. All of those ideas. Are you. All of those ideas are talents and dreams and ideas inside [00:09:00] of you. So they're not to be discarded. 

So I urge you to veer away from your path every now and then you never know where it will take you, it may lead you to a new adventure you've been waiting for since childhood. And keep your eyes and your ears open as you go through your day. As you chat with others or listen to music or watch a movie. There are signs everywhere. And maybe you'll hear something. Or see something that will spark a new thought in you that you really needed to hear that you may not have thought about in a long time. 

Something that will profoundly change your week. Like this one question I was asked changed mine. 

I think this podcast hosts for asking me this question so I could look at my life's trajectory in a new way. And my family differently too. Sadly, I am not able to. Talk to my grandpa. But God, I wish I could. Now I really know that I [00:10:00] wouldn't waste the time. Asking him business questions. I can honestly say I would not. Instead, I would simply. Tell him, grandpa, you amaze me. thank you for instilling just a part of your zest for life and adventure on me. And I promise to share this zest for life. 

With your two great grandsons. Who I just know we'll take after you. And who. 

you would love. With all of your heart. 

Enough of the emotional stuff. I really just want you to feel the warmth that I feel and take comfort in knowing. That there are signs around us that can really. Spark something that can bring us back. To ourselves. And maybe it's a sign that you have been wanting to hear, but you've been ignoring, or maybe it's a sign that just kind of wakes you up and says, yeah. 

I can do more than what I'm doing. maybe it's [00:11:00] time for that change. Maybe it's time to step out of my comfort zone and. Make that career change or. Try to start that business or, Switch jobs in my department and, and try something new. 

A lot of people talk about. Mindset and meditation and manifesting the world that you want to see. But sometimes I think we can just be still and exist in the world that we're currently in. And remember to be quiet with ourselves and look inward. And maybe it is a sign. From a word that someone says a question they ask. 

A song that you hear a movie, a sign on the highway, a car license plate, whatever it might be that just sparks a thought in you. That really. Leads you to think about the possibilities. So in this busy day to day life that we all live. If a sign comes up. Maybe instead of just. Thinking about it and going on with your day [00:12:00] that you sit with it, you never know why it appeared. 

Just like this question could have appeared and I could have gone on to the next question but after the interview I really sat with it and I thought about it and I thought, Out of all of the questions I've been asked. Why was this question? 

Sparking something in me. And as I let myself sit with it afterwards and really sit with the thoughts of my grandfather and. truly how alike we are. I think it just brought me. Maybe that reassurance. That I needed that. I did the right thing. when I left my one dream job to. Become an entrepreneur and. 

That I was on the right path. And that he did all these crazy things in his life and changed jobs. And by me doing that. Now I'm running a business, that's serving my community and I'm now. Coaching other women who are looking for a change in their lives. So. What I took from this sign. Is that. I'm okay. 

My grandpa says I am. [00:13:00] Okay. that is probably the biggest sign that. I could have gotten because it's comes from a place of so much love and support from someone who. Unfortunately is not here to see what I've built in the past seven years. Who has not been here to see me as a mom. With my two boys. 

And the sign was something that I needed this week. And I'm so grateful. my whole point of bringing this up on this mini-sode is just too. 

Ask you to take a second to look, to look for those signs that can reassure you that you're on the right path. Or if you're at a fork in the road and you've been uncertain and unsure. Keep your eye out because there just might be a sign that gives you. A little bit of direction into which path you should choose. 

So, thank you. Thank you for listening to me today. And for being here for this. Small conversation. I hope that it. Gave you some hope that the universe can tell us [00:14:00] things that, you know, we may not be able to see otherwise. And as long as we're open to. Look, listen here. Receive. 

Whatever the universe is trying to tell us. it can only lead to good things. Thank you. I hope you have a wonderful rest of the day. Make the most of it. And I will chat with you on the next episode of the Second Act Success Podcast. 

I'm excited to announce that the next session of the Second Act Accelerator Course will be launching in January. Learn more at secondactsuccess.co/course. This program is for professionals ready to pivot to a new career. Within just six weeks, you will have a roadmap to get you from where you are now to where you want to be. Join like-minded individuals in our private community group. Plus you will have access to weekly group coaching, live workshops, expert guests, and one-on-one coaching with me. Learn more about the second Act [00:15:00] accelerator and sign up at secondactsuccess.co/course.

Thank you for joining us. I hope you found some gems of inspiration and some takeaways to help you on your path to Second Act Success. To view show notes from this episode, visit secondactsuccess.co. Before you go, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast. So you don't miss a single episode. Reviews only take a few moments and they really do mean so much. Thank you again for listening. I am Shannon Russell, and this is Second Act Success.