How My 30th Birthday Changed the Way I Think About Careers Forever

There I was on my 30th birthday in a large conference room with twenty-five other leaders and the head of my department. I was exhausted from a near all-nighter preparing.

I worked for a large big-box retailer, which was one of the rapidest growing companies in the United States.

It was a fast-paced, results-driven organization and a place where I could make a name for myself.

Eager to make a good impression and move up the company ladder, I put in long hours during the week and occasionally worked through weekends and holidays.

Believing that career success requires sacrifice, I de-prioritized my personal life. I focused on financial success and moving up the ladder rather than on impact and fulfillment.

On my birthday, at age 30, I realized that I’d steered my life in the wrong direction.

Although it was a Friday, we had all day project reviews with the head of my department. This meant that I was center stage, presenting on my key initiatives to the head of HR, his team, and my peers.

I had worked long hours during the week preparing and was exhausted.

I knew that even though it was Friday and my birthday, I’d be late getting home. All I could think about was surviving the presentation and heading home for the weekend.

But that’s not what happened.

I presented my project update and was peppered with feedback and tough questions. Finally, my time being pummeled in the center of the ring was over, and I began to breathe a sigh of relief.

But…then the birthday cake came out.

I faked a smile as everyone in the room sang “happy birthday” and we had cake.

That should’ve been an amazing moment, right?

But no.

My emotions hit me like a ton of bricks. While I cared about my coworkers, that room was the last place I wanted to be on my 30th birthday.

In that moment, I discovered I wasn’t happy in my career, and I’d been thinking about it all wrong. I was climbing the corporate ladder with an eye towards the top. I’d worked hard to get where I was that day, leading high profile work for a top company.

But I realized I was turning 30 and my pursuit of advancement and financial success had cost me meaning and fulfillment.

From that day forward, I began thinking about my career differently.

Before, I thought I had to sacrifice everything to achieve career success. Now, I knew this was a road to despair.

I began seeking a meaningful and fulfilling life, including my career.

My career was still important, but so were other parts of my life outside of work, such as relationships and health. I also realized that my impact at work and my fulfillment were just as important as advancement and financial success.

This mindset change affected the choices I made in my career and the rest of my life. I began a journey which I now call “career thriving”. It hasn’t been a straight shot. There have been mountains to climb and rivers to navigate along the way. And I’m still not all the way to my destination.

But I’m a lot closer today than I was at age 30.

Over the years, I’ve realized that many of us struggle with this same challenge. I’ve become passionate about helping others take their journey towards “career thriving”.

I’m writing this newsletter, Career Thriving, to share my ideas and learning so that I can help you along the way.

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