Send us Fan Mail

Feeling successful on paper but disconnected from your work at mid-career? You are not alone. 

In this episode, I sit down with Mitch Matthews, success coach and host of the Dream Think Do podcast, to unpack what real career change looks like when you stop waiting for permission and start creating it yourself.

We talk candidly about that moment when you are busy, accomplished, and respected, yet no longer energized by the work you are doing. Mitch shares a powerful personal story about accepting a promotion that looked perfect on paper but felt wrong almost immediately. Instead of making a reckless leap, he honored his responsibilities while quietly building a new path through small, intentional experiments.

This conversation is especially relevant if you are a mid-career professional seeking greater career clarity, questioning what is next, or feeling stuck in a job that no longer fits. We explore how progress does not require a dramatic exit or a master plan. It requires permission, curiosity, and consistent action.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why permission at mid-career is an internal decision, not something granted by a boss or organization
• How small, low-risk experiments can help you test new career directions without blowing up your current role
• The 15-minute rule and how five short blocks a week can compound into more than 60 hours of focused progress each year
• Why the safest place to explore new ideas is often outside the high-stakes environment of your day job
• What it looks like to lead without having all the answers and why saying “I don’t know, let’s figure it out together” builds trust
• How to use AI as a practical thinking partner instead of a buzzword or replacement for judgment
• Why automation is increasing the value of authenticity, clarity, and human leadership
• How to spot perfectionism when it is disguising itself as procrastination
• Why starting small and messy creates more durable career change than waiting for the perfect plan

Mitch is also sharing his free training, Finding Time for Your Next Chapter, designed to help you carve out focused time for what matters most in this stage of your career.

Access it at mitchmathews.com/time and use coupon code GPS for free access.

Connect with Mitch Matthews

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.

 
Please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts here.

Connect with John on LinkedIn here.
Get John's New Mid-Career Journal on Amazon here. 
Follow John on Instagram @johnneralcoaching.
Subscribe to John's YouTube Channel here.