Many of us hold beliefs like: education opens doors, avoiding conflict keeps the peace, or opportunity is everywhere if we just look hard enough. These sound noble, but they can be more mistaken than true.

In challenging times, we lean on our beliefs to carry us through. But some of them hurt us more than they help.

This week, I’m reposting one of my most popular blogs for anyone feeling frustrated, stuck, or angry. One reason you may feel this way is that your belief system doesn’t match reality—and that realization can be painful.

The way forward? Test your beliefs against the evidence. Ask: is this belief helping me, or is it holding me back?

Mistaken beliefs and super glue are like two peas in a pod: fast, versatile, strong, easy to use, and inexpensive. They also work pretty well until you get some stuck on your fingers and lose the ability to use your phalanges.

Take this mistaken belief: If I work hard, I will be successful.

This belief developed as a result of comparing myself to others. I frequently came up short because of doubts about my talent, the depth of my experience, and whether I knew the right people. So, to counter these uncomfortable thoughts, I chose to take one thing I do—work hard—and make that into a way of being and a belief.

This leads to another mistaken belief. If I’m successful, then I’m worthy of promotion, financial validation, and respect.

Which then leads to: If I’m worthy of promotion, financial validation, and respect then I am lovable.

Now I know the truth: everyone, including myself, is worthy of love without having to jump through hoops. However, belief frequently outweighs the truth.

What Is A Mistaken Belief?

A mistaken belief, according to Psychology Today, is “when someone has objective evidence that doesn’t support their belief, but these beliefs still govern their lives and motivate their actions.”

It’s a concept that has been studied numerous times without clear results of why we believe what we believe – even when there is counterfactual evidence.

For those who are looking to move ahead in their career, a close examination of whether your beliefs are helpful, hurtful, or mistaken can help clear the path to achieving your goals.

The Purpose Of A Mistaken Belief

What I’ve come to realize is that the purpose of a mistaken belief is to be the super glue that holds our dreams and our actions together. If I dream X, then it will happen if I do Y. Let me give you a few examples to bring this alive.

Let’s go back to: If I work hard enough, I will be successful. One of my dreams was to work in prime-time drama development at a network. This dream evolved when I was working in prime-time current, which is the role at a network or studio that creatively supervises TV series that are currently on the air.

My challenge was that I was new to working in prime-time, having come out of children’s programming and animation for almost six years. I doubted my credibility, was concerned that I didn’t know who the players were, and didn’t know the “rules of engagement.” The underlying belief with these doubts is that “I need to know and not have a learning curve.”

So I chose to work harder to try to hide my shortcomings: I was the first to read scripts, the first to have my thoughts organized, the first in the office (and the last to leave), and said yes to meeting with any writer or director who was interested.

While there was evidence that people were getting promoted who didn’t do what I did, I refused to look at what made them successful. I was convinced I wasn’t as talented as them, so I needed to focus on what was within my grasp: working harder.

So, this dream of being successful (getting promoted) was glued to the mistaken belief that it would happen if I worked harder.

A few more mistaken beliefs related to being successful from my time clawing my way up the corporate ladder:

* Morning people are successful: if I wake up early enough then I will be more prepared and energized, and yet there were dozens of executives higher up the ladder who didn’t get into the office until 10:00 am.

* I need years of experience to be successful: if I can just stay in the “game” long enough, success will come my way, and yet there were a few executives who held more senior positions and were much younger.

* Knowing the right people will help me be successful: if I can just network more and better, then I will have the necessary advocates (and maybe a mentor!) to be successful, and yet I had a good friend who didn’t come from an agency background and had no high-visibility friends and was still named head of a department at a major studio.

Mistaken Beliefs Have Consequences

Unfortunately, we can’t escape the downside of holding mistaken beliefs. Here’s the thing about them: mistaken beliefs like super glue rapidly bond to skin, can burn the eyes, repeated inhalation can cause dizziness, and when they set, they’re brittle. Let’s break the metaphor down:

* Mistaken beliefs will stick to you like super glue. Once they touch the vulnerable parts of your heart or intellect, they will not let go, and they will feel like the truth, which makes them difficult to unstick.

* Mistaken beliefs cloud your vision and stop you from seeing all the data. They burn the part of you that is the truth seeker and keep you small. Only the truth can move you forward.

* Repeated use of mistaken beliefs will cause dizziness and drowsiness because they suck the oxygen out of your ability to thoroughly analyze a situation and choose the best option to move forward. So, you are not operating at full capacity.

* Mistaken beliefs are brittle. They hold on and hold on until you have to break it off in order to be set free.

More Examples Of Mistaken Beliefs

It can be challenging to identify your mistaken beliefs because (as I said) they can feel like the truth.

One of the best ways to learn and see your mistaken beliefs is through hearing other people’s mistaken beliefs. Sometimes, we don’t even know that we have mistaken beliefs until we see how they operate in other people. I saw this phenomenon when leading a discussion about mistaken beliefs with a group of indie producers I led through my coaching practice.

Here’s a smattering of some of those beliefs (I have permission to share them publicly). You may recognize some or all!

* Everyone has to be happy

* I must be fast to go far

* It’s a young person’s game

* Other people’s opinions hold more value

* Work has to come first

* You have to be in LA to be successful

* Have to choose a lane

* The younger you are, the more opportunities

* I don’t have the right face shape to be successful

* I need to have all the skills

* If I say no, I won’t be asked again

* I have to put myself out there more

* I got in too late

* Money sources are only good for money and should be kept at a distance

* You are retired when you have kids

* Projects need to be packaged in order to sell

* It’s important to time the marketplace

* Need to have a big budget to have production value

* Latino film has to have a certain look / feel / aesthetic

These beliefs hurt my heart — I can think of at least one instance in which each one of these statements is factually inaccurate. And yet, they are treated as universal truths and become the guardrails in which we conduct ourselves professionally.

Do you see how limiting these beliefs are? The consequences of living these beliefs include:

* Not meeting one’s potential

* Living other people’s values

* Missing opportunities

* Not meeting your definition of success

If you’re wondering why you are stuck, there’s a chance you are operating under mistaken beliefs.

Now What?

Identifying and unpacking mistaken beliefs requires great, great, great courage. It also involves self-compassion, empathy, and grace. It demands curiosity, patience and a microscope.

Course correcting from mistaken beliefs is not a light switch that you can easily switch on or off. The beliefs become ingrained in our thinking and way of being. Vigilance and tenacity are the handrails as you cross the bridge from mistaken belief to truth.

So, how to go about confronting mistaken beliefs, if you’re so inclined:

* Examine your beliefs by writing them down. Consider the beliefs that were taught to you by your primary caregivers. Talk to a trusted friend about what they see. Work with a therapist or coach.

* Look for the evidence, facts, and the truth to support your belief. If there is none, look for a value to honor instead of the mistaken belief. For example, when I have the compulsion to work harder to get ahead, I choose to value compassion. The compassion allows me to check in with myself about arbitrary deadlines I may have set in order to feel successful.

* If there’s data to support your belief, then assess whether the belief you hold is helpful or hurtful. This is a tricky step because you may think a belief is helpful when the data shows you that it’s not. With the work harder belief, I had excellent results for years until I reached a point of diminishing returns. I was exhausted by developing multiple projects as a producer but not selling at the same rate as in previous years.

* If you determine that a belief is hurtful, then choose a value to honor instead. With the realization that my sales quota had fallen, I course corrected to value curation over volume.

For many of my clients, their mistaken beliefs take a tremendous toll on their relationships, family, and overall well-being. I had one client whose belief that he needed to write every single day in order to launch his career in the entertainment industry caused him so much stress that he withdrew from his wife and kids. They were contemplating separation when we started to work together. After several sessions, we discovered that my client works best when writing in sprints. He thought he was doing writing wrong because he struggled with a daily writing schedule. When he learned that successful writers have a wide variety of processes, he recognized that he was holding a mistaken belief. My client was able to negotiate time to write in 2-3 day clusters, and it relieved his stress and addressed his family’s need for his presence.

Bottom Line

In the end, mistaken beliefs seem useful and reliable until you realize they don’t actually serve you. They might feel like the truth, but they cloud your vision, sap your energy, and hold you back. The key is recognizing them and gently peeling them away.

Examining our beliefs, especially the mistaken ones, takes courage and self-compassion. It’s about being curious and patient with ourselves. Write down your beliefs, discuss them with trusted friends or professionals, and look for evidence that supports or refutes them. Replace hurtful beliefs with values that truly serve you.

When we let go of mistaken beliefs, we create space for healthier, more empowering truths. This shift isn’t instantaneous—it’s a journey of continuous learning and self-awareness. But in doing so, we open ourselves to more authentic success and fulfillment, both personally and professionally. So, take a deep breath, grab your metaphorical acetone, and start ungluing those mistaken beliefs. Your future self will thank you.

Related Content

* How Your Identity Is Stopping You From Achieving Your Goals

* How To Tame Your Inner Critic

* My Kid Isn’t Going To College …

Perks for Paid Subscribers

Moonshot Mentor paid subscribers get weekly journal prompts to spark personal and professional growth, guided meditations to help them center, reflect, and reset, plus exclusive career development and career grief workshops that build clarity, resilience, and momentum.

Journal Prompts

Here are five journal prompts to help you explore and understand the themes of mistaken beliefs and their impact on your life:

On paper, Deborah has it all. She’s the CFO of a well-known accounting firm in Boston. Married for 23 years, three healthy kids, a vacation home on the Cape. Her LinkedIn profile is stacked with awards and promotions. If you asked anyone around her, they’d tell you she’s “made it.”

So why, in her own words, is she “not doing well.”

It’s because Deborah’s been chasing achievements instead of building accomplishments.

Achievements vs. Accomplishments

Here’s how I think about it.

Achievements are the things that get noticed. A new title, a big award, a parking space with your name on it. A lot of times they translate into bullet points on your resume.

Accomplishments feel different. They don’t always show up on LinkedIn, but you know when you’ve had one. It’s the pride you feel after mentoring a colleague and seeing them get that promotion. Or the satisfaction of preparing hard for a meeting and knocking it out of the ball park. Or the moment at the coffee pot when you slow down long enough to lend a compassionate ear to a work buddy.

Achievement is about recognition. Accomplishment is about fulfillment.

Both matter. But when achievements become the sole measure of success, they start to feel like cotton candy. Delicious going down, but not enough sustenance to get you through the day. That’s where Deborah finds herself.

Why Achievements Hook Us

There’s a reason it’s so easy to get caught up in the achievement chase. Each time someone applauds us—or clicks “like” on something we post—our brain gives us a little chemical pat on the back. A dopamine hit. It feels good, but it doesn’t last. So we keep chasing after the next one.

Add in the cultural stories we’ve all been told—success equals climbing ladders, stacking trophies, hitting milestones—and it’s no wonder most of us go after achievements like they’re a Chestnut Cocoa Labubu.

And when we don’t get it? Anxiety spikes. Stress hormones like cortisol rise. We find ourselves working harder, cancelling social get-togethers, and pushing through exhaustion—all in pursuit of validation that evaporates as soon as it arrives.

This is what I call “success fatigue.” It’s not that Deborah hasn’t achieved incredible things. It’s that those achievements no longer sustain her. Without that deeper anchor of living her values, the ladder she’s been climbing feels like it’s leaning against the wrong wall.

The Cost of Chasing Achievements Alone

When we measure our worth solely through achievements, three things happen:

* We burn out. The constant striving for external validation keeps our nervous systems on high alert. We push past our limits, telling ourselves we can rest after the next big milestone.

* Our self-esteem gets fragile. If our value depends on others’ approval, it only takes one missed promotion or disappointing performance review to send us spiraling.

* We feel empty. Even after the big wins, there’s still that voice asking, Is this it? Is there more?

That’s what keeps Deborah up at 3 a.m.

The Case for Accomplishment

Accomplishments tell a different story. They’re not about recognition. They’re about resonance.

When we do work that aligns with our values, it builds confidence that doesn’t crumble when someone else gets promoted. Think about the difference between receiving an industry award (an achievement) and creating a system that makes your team’s work easier for years to come (an accomplishment). One gets you applause. The other leaves a ripple of impact long after you’ve moved on.

Accomplishments are sustainable fuel. They don’t depend on whether your boss notices or your industry hands you a plaque. They depend on whether your work connects to your values.

How to Shift

If you’re reading this and thinking, Yep, that’s me. I’ve been chasing achievements, you’re not alone.

Here are a few small places to start:

* Ask “why” before saying yes. Is the thing you’re looking to achieve tied to your values, or is it just about keeping up?

* Notice the wins no one else sees. Keep a journal of the things that made you proud, even if nobody clapped.

* Celebrate the process. Your growth counts, even if the outcome isn’t flashy.

* Write your own definition of success. Not your boss’s version. Not your industry’s. Yours.

These practices don’t mean abandoning achievements altogether. They mean putting them in their place—they’re external proof, not the whole story.

Coming Back to Deborah

Deborah’s starting to realize her accomplishments have been there all along. They just weren’t the ones she was measuring.

The pro bono work she championed that helped a nonprofit keep its doors open. The financial lessons she taught her teenage son. The colleague she coached through her first big role.

Those are the things that light her up.

Achievements decorate a resume. Accomplishments nourish a life.

And when we start measuring success from the inside out, fulfillment stops feeling like something just out of reach—and starts feeling like something we can actually touch.

Bottom Line

On paper, Deborah has it all—title, family, recognition, even the Cape house. But in her own words, she’s “not doing well.”

That’s the trap of chasing achievements. They look impressive, but they don’t always bring fulfillment.

Accomplishments, on the other hand, connect us back to our core values. They don’t just show what we’ve done—they remind us who we are.

If your list of achievements hasn’t left you feeling satisfied, maybe it’s time to measure success differently.

Related Content

* Are You A Workaholic?

* Feeling Taken Advantage Of At Work?

* Is Your Career Missing Purpose?

Moonshot Mentor paid subscribers get weekly journal prompts to spark personal and professional growth, guided meditations to help them center, reflect, and reset, plus exclusive career development and career grief workshops that build clarity, resilience, and momentum.

Perks for Paid Subscribers

Here are three journal prompts for paid Moonshot Mentor subscribers. They’ll help you explore how to shift from achievement to accomplishment.

If you’re resonating with what you’re hearing, please consider subscribing. What’s that mean?

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If you’re resonating with what you’re hearing, please consider subscribing. What’s that mean?

🙌🏾  You’ll receive regular emails (with lots of heart and a bit of humor) that share a tool or insight from my coaching practice.

🙌🏾  Typically the blog and podcast will have a question at the end to provoke thought that supports you in your growth.

🙌🏾  Updates on offerings, free stuff, recommendations, referrals.

My blog aims to help people achieve their ambitious goals, their moonshot if you will. 😃 Oftentimes, though, we neglect an essential aspect of pursuing our dreams: the inevitable missteps, obstacles, and failures that come our way. Failing to acknowledge and process these losses properly can lead to imposter syndrome, burnout, low self-esteem, confusion, and even result in completely abandoning our dreams. 😟  That's why I strongly advocate for embracing grief awareness (along with other tools like values identification, knowing your why, sharpening executive function, habit forming, and more.) By doing so, we can effectively navigate challenges, regain motivation, and hit our moonshots. ✌🏾️ If you know someone who could benefit, please share this newsletter or recommend me to them. 🙏

If you’re resonating with what you’re hearing, please consider subscribing. What’s that mean?

🙌🏾  You’ll receive regular emails (with lots of heart and a bit of humor) that share a tool or insight from my coaching practice.

🙌🏾  Typically the blog and podcast will have a question at the end to provoke thought that supports you in your growth.

🙌🏾  Updates on offerings, free stuff, recommendations, referrals.

My blogcast aims to help people achieve their ambitious goals, their moonshot if you will. 😃 Oftentimes, though, we neglect an essential aspect of pursuing our dreams: the inevitable missteps, obstacles, and failures that come our way. Failing to acknowledge and process these losses properly can lead to imposter syndrome, burnout, low self-esteem, confusion, and even result in completely abandoning our dreams. 😟  That's why I strongly advocate for embracing grief awareness (along with other tools like values identification, knowing your why, sharpening executive function, habit forming, and more.) By doing so, we can effectively navigate challenges, regain motivation, and hit our moonshots. ✌🏾️ If you know someone who could benefit, please share this blogcast or recommend me to them. 🙏

If you’re resonating with what you’re hearing, please consider subscribing. What’s that mean?

🙌🏾  You’ll receive regular emails (with lots of heart and a bit of humor) that share a tool or insight from my coaching practice.

🙌🏾  Typically the blog and podcast will have a question at the end to provoke thought that supports you in your growth.

🙌🏾  Updates on offerings, free stuff, recommendations, referrals.

If you’re resonating with what you’re hearing, please consider subscribing. What’s that mean?

🙌🏾  You’ll receive regular emails (with lots of heart and a bit of humor) that share a tool or insight from my coaching practice.

🙌🏾  Typically the blog and podcast will have a question at the end to provoke thought that supports you in your growth.

🙌🏾  Updates on offerings, free stuff, recommendations, referrals.

The Writers Guild of America has gone on strike and I absolutely stand with the WGA. However, no one knows how long the strike will last so that means the movie I was working on is being pushed, the coaching groups and workshops I was planning for the Fall are now on hold, and the low-key vacation that I was going to have with my family in August is on the back-burner.

If you’re resonating with what you’re hearing, please consider subscribing. What’s that mean?

🙌🏾  You’ll receive regular emails (with lots of heart and a bit of humor) that share a tool or insight from my coaching practice.

🙌🏾  Typically the blog and podcast will have a question at the end to provoke thought that supports you in your growth.

🙌🏾  Updates on offerings, free stuff, recommendations, referrals.

Thrive? After job loss? I never thought thriving was possible after I was fired. And then again when I was laid off, I was at a complete loss. I’m not even sure I knew what thriving meant or if I ever thrived while grinding my way from promotion to promotion and gig after gig.

If I’m honest, and I truly endeavor to be (but sometimes I lie to myself!) I felt the sensation of thriving when I got a title bump, or someone praised my work, or I got a cool perk. Thriving was elusive and came from external wins vs. an internal sense of fulfillment and pride. Perhaps what I was experiencing was more of a sense of accomplishment vs. thriving.

So what does thriving mean?

Thriving (according to various sources) is: 

🙌 Growing, developing, or being successful (Cambridge Dictionary)

🙌 Prospering or doing well; highly successful; growing or developing vigorously; flourishing (dictionary.com)

🙌 To progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

On one level, I was successful because I was flourishing as I moved up the ladder and took on more responsibility, made more money and leased a cute Audi TT.  For all intents and purposes I was prospering. 

Until it became more and more difficult to bounce back after professional setbacks. I lost connection with my resiliency because of the meaning I was creating around those setbacks. Here are a few examples:

* I championed a pilot while I was at CBS about zombies. It was amazing (written by Paul Wernick & Rhett Rheese, the guys who went on to write the Deadpool franchise.) The pilot wasn’t picked up because the network was known for procedurals and it didn’t fit. I told myself that I had poor taste because I couldn’t get that one across the finish line. In retrospect, I had great taste as that pilot became Zombieland, one of my all-time favorite movies. BUT, I started to believe the “I have poor taste” narrative and began to lose confidence.

* This loss of confidence (which was not the truth, but I treated it as such) led me to dial-up my people-pleasing. When I got the head of programming job at EPIX, the CEO pitched me an idea that I didn’t think was a match for our content mandate. But I said, “Yeah, let’s develop that idea” because I wanted to make him happy vs. do my job properly. When I was laid off from that gig a few years later (when the department was de-funded) I created another false narrative that I’m not cut out for corporate America. 

* I made a decision to pivot fully into producing, which aligned with my desire to be more present for my kids as they were growing up. However, the hard truth is that my ability to bounce back from loss had diminished. 

I was no longer “thriving” in each consecutive role for the following reasons:

👿 I became more and more reliant on external validation vs. listening to my internal compass and intuition. 

👿 I found myself listening to negative self-talk that I often refer to as "gremlin" voices. The gremlins seemed to find an opening that was created by the losses, and the more I listened to them, the meaner they got. At times, it felt like their words were the truth.

👿 I lost connection with resiliency. As humans, we have an innate ability to bounce back from adversity, but it's easy to forget that when we're struggling to make sense of a painful experience. 

For many years after experiencing loss I felt like I was stumbling through darkness.

I worked with therapists and coaches, attended workshops, read countless books, and listened to podcasts in search of something that would give me a big “aha” moment. While all of these things are helpful in their own way, it wasn't until I discovered the term “disenfranchised grief" that everything really clicked for me. 

Bereavement expert Kenneth Doka coined this term to describe any type of loss that isn’t openly acknowledged, publicly mourned, or socially validated. As I reflected on my own experiences with professional losses (like projects not being well-received or being fired/laid off), I realized that these losses fell into this category. Because they weren't seen as real losses I didn't feel like I had permission to mourn or grieve. As a result I created hurtful meaning around those losses, like “there’s something wrong with me” or “I don’t have what it takes.”

Discovering this concept of disenfranchised grief was a turning point. It helped me to see that my experiences were valid and deserving of mourning, even if they weren't widely recognized as such. It also allowed me to re-frame the meanings I had created around those losses and to start to heal. 

Through my own experiences, I've learned just how crucial it is to mourn in order to thrive. By giving myself permission to grieve, I was able to reconnect with my internal compass, including my values and purpose, as well as my intuition and resiliency. It was only once I allowed myself to truly mourn that I was able to course correct and start to thrive again.

I've come to realize that grief and loss are a natural part of the human experience, and that we can't always control when or how they happen. But we can control how we respond to them. By allowing ourselves to mourn, we create space for healing and growth. And through that healing and growth, we can find new opportunities for thriving, even in the face of loss.

If any of this resonates with you, I'd love to offer my support. There are a few ways we can work together:

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 First, you can subscribe to my weekly blog and blogcast where I share stories and insights on Grief and achieving your goals. I strongly believe that these two are interconnected, and until we develop the understanding and skill to deal with grief, it can hold us back from achieving our dreams.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 In addition you can join the Moonshot Mentor Community where I lead grief groups, masterminds, and accountability teams. These groups are a great way to connect with others who are going through similar experiences.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 For those who are looking for more personalized support, I offer private coaching sessions via zoom and VIP days for individuals. These sessions are tailored to your specific needs and goals, and can be a great way to dive deeper into your grief and start to build the skills and resilience needed to thrive.

I’m also co-hosting a three-day retreat called Thriving After Job Loss: A Journey of Self-Discovery, Resilience and Renewal to support people who have been fired, laid off, down-sized, or quietly (or loudly!) quit. 

It will take place May 26-28 in Downtown Los Angeles 🌴, and is designed to help people bounce back from job loss with renewed strength and confidence – whether it’s a recent experience or from the past. To ensure that everyone gets the most out of the experience, we’ve limited the retreat to just 12 participants, allowing for an intimate and supportive atmosphere conducive to deep personal growth. 

The main objective is to provide people with the tools and support they need to move forward, which includes:

* Recognizing and addressing sources of grief, especially around career setbacks

* Learning effective tools and rituals to properly mourn and cope

* Overcoming self-doubt and negative self-talk 

* Discovering new perspectives and meaning in the face of professional loss 

* Empowering yourself by identifying your North Stars - your values and purpose - to reclaim agency and create a brighter future. 

My co-host is an amazing woman, Katy Chen Mazzara 😄, who is a trauma-informed financial wellness coach who teaches folx how to shift from survival mode into expansion mode, so they attract the “right” opportunities. Katy will be leading participants through a powerful somatic method to release trauma, anger, or sadness. To top it off, we’ll also be offering a soothing sound bath to help reset the nervous system and promote deep relaxation. 🦋

In addition to the transformative work we’ll be doing, we’ll also be providing snacks and meals 🥙, ample time for reflection 🤔, and opportunities to connect and build community 🧑‍🤝‍🧑. 

We’re committed to ensuring that you have the tools and guidance you need to make meaningful progress on your journey to thriving after job loss. To that end, our support will continue post retreat. Katy and I are big believers in after-care and will be offering fantastic bonuses, including one-on-one sessions, to help you stay on track and build momentum after the retreat. Our goal is to support you every step of the way as you create a bright and fulfilling future. 😃

The retreat is currently available at the early-bird rate of $997 (until May 5), and will be $1397 at full price. If you or someone you know is interested, here’s a link for more information and to sign up. And if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to schedule a zoom or call to discuss the retreat in greater detail.

Bottom line in all of this: It’s absolutely possible to thrive after job loss when you have the community and tools to do so. 

I love to support ambitious, driven people who are feeling stuck and want to regain momentum so they can hit their next big goal.  Want to explore working together? Check out my website.

If you know of someone who might benefit from this work, would you please forward this newsletter to them?

If you’re resonating with what you’re reading, please consider subscribing. What’s that mean?

🙌🏾  You’ll receive regular emails (with lots of heart and a bit of humor) that share a tool or insight from my coaching practice.

🙌🏾  Typically the blog and podcast will have a question at the end to provoke thought that supports you in your growth.

🙌🏾  Updates on offerings, free stuff, recommendations, referrals.

Do you know someone who’s lost their groove and needs a little push to get it back? I would greatly appreciate it if you could kindly share this episode with them. 🙏

If you’re resonating with what you’re hearing, please consider subscribing. What’s that mean?

🙌🏾  Updates on offerings, free stuff, recommendations, referrals.

🙌🏾  You’ll receive regular emails (with lots of heart and a bit of humor) that share a tool or insight from my coaching practice.

🙌🏾  Typically the email will have a question at the end to provoke thought that supports you in your growth.

If you’re resonating with what you’re hearing, please consider subscribing. What’s that mean?

🙌🏾  Updates on offerings, free stuff, recommendations, referrals.

🙌🏾  You’ll receive regular emails (with lots of heart and a bit of humor) that share a tool or insight from my coaching practice.

🙌🏾  Typically the email will have a question at the end to provoke thought that supports you in your growth.

If you’re not clear on your values, go to MoonshotMentor.com to get a free workbook to help you identify your core values. Knowing your values helps to course correct, make decisions, and hit your moonshot. 😁

If you’re resonating with what you’re hearing, please consider subscribing. What’s that mean?

🙌🏾  Updates on offerings, free stuff, recommendations, referrals.

🙌🏾  You’ll receive regular emails (with lots of heart and a bit of humor) that share a tool or insight from my coaching practice.

🙌🏾  Typically the email will have a question at the end to provoke thought that supports you in your growth.

If you’ve ever been triggered by someone’s words or actions, push play on today’s podcast. I share a story of a time when I was triggered and the process I went through to sort through it. The bottom line is that whenever you’re feeling angry, grumpy, or dissonance it’s because a value is being stepped on. Values are unique and personal to all of us. And while we may share certain values with other people, the same values are not shared by everyone. Taking a beat to understand what specific values are being tromped helps to understand the upset and move past it.

Read the full written blog post here.

SHOW NOTES:

Knowing your core values helps to determine when they are being stepped on. Get your free Values Workbook by subscribing here. 

When you are feeling triggered, take the following steps:

* Push the pause button and if possible remove yourself from the situation.

* Take several deep breaths - in through your nose, out through your mouth - to help you calm and re-center. Noticing how your breath enters your body, the rise and fall of your breath, counting your breaths deepen the calming.

* Ask yourself what value is being stepped on - either by you, another person or a situation. You may need to sit with this for a bit and sort through different thoughts and ideas.

* The goal here is to not make yourself or anyone else wrong. It’s about noticing and naming. 

* A few examples from the podcast: 

😠 This is a workshop – not a day spa. We’ve all paid money to be in a professional setting to learn a new skill. While we’re zooming in from our homes, it’s not a permission slip to show up half naked. Value: Propiety

😠 Thomas being half-naked also draws attention to him and away from the collective. It’s distracting and doesn’t allow room for other people to “take up space” and be seen. Value: Equity

😠 Honey Babe peering into the camera and asking how zoom works indicates that she didn’t have an understanding of the format and didn’t prepare properly. Thomas explaining how it operates while on zoom detracts from the group’s ability to bond before the workshop starts. Values: Preparation, Respect of the Group’s Needs 

😠 Thomas rubbing Honey Babe’s shoulders and telling the participants he has a massage table is inappropriately sexual in the workshop setting. This isn’t a love nest. Values: Professionalism, Respect of Boundaries 

* Once you have clarity on which values have been stepped on, you have some choices.

* Course correct your own actions if you’re the one responsible for tromping a core value. 

* For example, when I snap at someone, I apologize for my words and actions, and course correct to honor my value of kindness. 

* Consider removing yourself from the situation or person.

* For example, there’s a producer who was consistently rude to people on the team. When this person was not able to course correct, we parted ways. 

* Communicate why a value is being stepped on, but don’t expect someone to honor your value. 

* For example, when I tell my children that I value cleanliness and will they please pick up their dishes, they understand my value. They don’t share that value, but are willing to honor mine for the sake of keeping their mother grounded. 🤷

If you’re resonating with what you’re listening to, please consider subscribing to my e-list. What’s that mean?

🙌🏾  Updates on offerings, free stuff, recommendations, referrals.

🙌🏾  You’ll receive regular emails (with lots of heart and a bit of humor) that share a tool or insight from my coaching practice.

🙌🏾  Typically the email will have a question at the end to provoke thought that supports you in your growth.

🙌🏾  Questions? Want to work with me? Reach out directly here.

Do you know someone who’s lost their groove and needs a little push to get it back? I would greatly appreciate it if you could kindly share this episode with them. 🙏

If you’re resonating with what you’re hearing, please consider subscribing. What’s that mean?

🙌🏾  Updates on offerings, free stuff, recommendations, referrals.

🙌🏾  You’ll receive regular emails (with lots of heart and a bit of humor) that share a tool or insight from my coaching practice.

🙌🏾  Typically the email will have a question at the end to provoke thought that supports you in your growth.

If you’re not clear on your values, go to MoonshotMentor.com to get a free workbook to help you identify your core values. Knowing your values helps to course correct, make decisions, and hit your moonshot. 😁

If you’re resonating with what you’re hearing, please consider subscribing. What’s that mean?

🙌🏾  Updates on offerings, free stuff, recommendations, referrals.

🙌🏾  You’ll receive regular emails (with lots of heart and a bit of humor) that share a tool or insight from my coaching practice.

🙌🏾  Typically the email will have a question at the end to provoke thought that supports you in your growth.

I’ve been facing a hard truth recently that situations are rarely 100% awesome. In fact most of the time the good and the not-so-good coexist … and seem quite content to be that way.  I, of course, am constantly striving to make everything awesome and perfect … and that creates not just tension, but emotional pain.  In this week’s blog and podcast, I share a concept, “hugging the bear,” that has helped me embrace this discomfort and find a path forward.

Feeling stuck on a passion project? Learn why momentum stalls and how to regain clarity, confidence, and direction.

Lost your job? Don’t rush into updating your resume or applying for anything and everything. In this post, I share a grounded three-step approach to recovering from career setbacks: spirit, strategy, and then tactics. Learn how to process the emotional impact, realign with your values, and take meaningful action. Includes a real-life story of a career pivot done right. If you’re navigating job loss, this is a clear and compassionate place to start.

Struggling to stay motivated mid-year? This podcast breaks down the difference between motivation and willpower, helping you reset your goals and regain momentum during the June slump.

“I chose to leave. So why do I feel so sad?”

It’s something I hear often from clients—people who walked away on their own terms. Retirement. A buyout. A planned exit.

And yet… something feels off.  There’s a heaviness they didn’t expect. A version of themselves they miss.

When a decision is logical, even strategic, it’s hard to make space for the grief that can still follow.  But that doesn’t mean the grief isn’t real.  And it doesn’t mean you made the wrong choice.

This carousel explores why we can feel so much after leaving a role—even when it was our decision. If this speaks to you, I hope it helps you name what’s been quietly waiting to be acknowledged.

Struggling with a stalled dream or delayed career goal? This post explores the emotional toll of unmet timelines, why grief can show up even when your dream is still alive, and how to process frustration, sadness, and stuckness with clarity and intention. Learn how to mourn outdated beliefs, reconnect with your purpose, and take meaningful steps forward—even when the path feels uncertain.

At some point, most of us hit a stretch in our career where grit and solo problem-solving just aren’t enough.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve read the books. Listened to the podcasts. Whiteboarded the options. But the clarity, direction, or momentum still feels out of reach.

That’s when support—the right kind of support—can change everything.

But not all help is created equal.

Sometimes you need a coach to help you hear your own voice again.

Sometimes you need a mentor who’s walked the path and can point out the pitfalls.

Sometimes you need a consultant who can cut through complexity and offer a plan.

👉 In this week’s blog podcast, I break down the difference between each—and how to know what you actually need.

You’ll also find the exact questions I recommend asking before hiring someone, and how I wear all three hats as a career strategist (depending on what the moment calls for).

If you’re navigating a turning point—career grief, a leap into leadership, or a shift in what success means to you—this might help you figure out what kind of support will truly move the needle.

I’ve always loved working hard. But lately, I’ve started questioning whether the way I work is actually working for me. I explore the difference between ambition and workaholism and three strategies I’m testing to shift my relationship with productivity, purpose, and rest.

“My industry wants a divorce, but I don’t.” - Anonymous

First off, I’m so sorry you’re being dumped. That really really sucks, no two ways about it. If we were best friends, I would rally to your side with a couple of pints of Talenti dark chocolate gelato, a cashmere throw, a bottle of your favorite wine, these very cute slippers from Nordic Peace and a list of fabulous tv series to binge and escape from the brutality of what you’re experiencing.

It truly feels like the break-up bug is everywhere. Hollywood might be the dramatic spouse in this story—Los Angeles unemployment is sitting closer to 6.5% while the national rate is just over 4%—but it’s hardly alone. Hotels and restaurants are ghosting their workers, with jobless rates around 6.4%. Gaming had a full-on messy split last year when one in ten developers got cut. And manufacturing and construction? They’ve been quietly packing their bags for months. Wherever you look, industries are walking out the door and leaving their people to pick up the pieces.

So how do you mourn the loss of your career when you don’t want to stop working but the work is no longer available to you?

Step One: Say Ouch

The first step after any break-up—personal or professional—is to admit it hurts. Say “ouch.” Literally. There’s science behind it: in one study , people who dunked their hands in icy water lasted longer if they said “ow” out loud, and researchers found pain tolerance jumped about 20% just by vocalizing. Turns out giving your pain a voice creates enough distraction that your body can cope.

But in Hollywood culture, and really, in a lot of industries, we don’t say “ouch.” We’re taught to keep it moving, to jump straight to “What’s next?” The trouble is, if you skip over the pain, it lingers. It’s like pretending you’re fine after the divorce papers land on your doorstep, when what you really need to do first is cry, scream, or curl up with that pint of gelato.

Saying “ouch” is your way of signaling to the universe: this hurts, something is wrong here. Only once you’ve acknowledged that can you figure out what comes next.

Step Two: Sadness or Grief?

After you’ve said “ouch,” the next step is to figure out what you’re actually dealing with … because sadness and grief aren’t the same thing.

Sadness is a temporary emotion. It’s the slump you feel when you get a pass on a pitch, miss out on a client, or get sidelined on a project. You bounce back.

Grief runs deeper and is complex. It includes sadness, but you may also feel shock, anger, distress, confusion, or numbness. Grief is the natural response to a severed attachment—the same way heartbreak lingers long after divorce papers are delivered.

Career grief is especially heavy because it doesn’t just touch your job—it impacts how you see yourself, where you belong, and what purpose you serve. It’s not “just” about the paycheck or the title. It’s about the story you told yourself about who you were and where you were headed. That’s why grief feels harder to shake.

And here’s where it connects back to the central question: How do you mourn the loss of a career you didn’t want to end? Distinguish whether you’re sad or grieving. If it’s sadness, immerse in self-care until the ouch passes. If it’s grief, give yourself permission to mourn. Acknowledge the shock and distress of divorce papers being served, regardless of whether the divorce actually goes through.

Step Three: Do You Wait or Do You Leave?

Once you’ve said “ouch”, clarified whether you’re sitting with sadness or grief (and given yourself permission to mourn), it’s time to ask: Do I wait for “reconciliation”, or do I pivot my career?

This is the limbo of career grief. You don’t want the split. You’d happily keep working if the work was there. But what happens when the other party—the industry, the company, the field—steps away? Do you hold out hope, or do you begin to imagine what comes after?

There’s no universal answer. Without a crystal ball, you’re left to lean on what matters most: your values.

What value am I honoring if I stay and wait?What value am I honoring if I decide to leave?

Psychotherapist Esther Perel reminds us that separation isn’t always failure. Sometimes it’s a reorganization into something different, healthier, or more honest. That wisdom applies here too. Even if you didn’t want this “divorce,” it may be asking you to look at deeper truths: What needs weren’t being met? How has your identity shifted? What kind of relationship with work do you want going forward?

And here’s where the mourning deepens. It’s not just about grieving what’s ended, but also the imagined future that may never come. That’s why the question of moving on versus moving forward matters so much.

Step Four: Moving Forward, Not Moving On

“Moving on” feels like: get over it, forget about it, it never really mattered. For those who don’t want to move on, of course that feels unbearable.

In grief, we don’t move on. We move forward. The love you had for your role or your industry remains, but it transforms. Moving forward means the history, talent, and experiences you built are not erased—they come with you as you begin to shape what’s next.

So, how do you mourn the loss of a career you didn’t want to end? You give yourself permission to move forward—honoring what was, carrying its meaning with you, and allowing space for something new to take shape.

Bottom Line

At the beginning, I said if we were best friends, I’d show up with gelato, a cashmere throw, wine, and cozy slippers. And while I can’t actually deliver those, I can remind you of this: mourning a career loss is messy, tender, and deeply human.

Sometimes the industry files for divorce and you’re left holding the papers. You may not have wanted it, but here you are. Saying ouch, distinguishing sadness from grief, sitting in the uncertainty, and choosing to move forward — these are the ways you honor the loss and yourself.

Gelato melts, jobs come and go, industries reorganize. But your values, your self-respect, and your capacity to reimagine? Those stay with you. That’s how you begin to move forward — even when the ending wasn’t yours to choose.

Related Content

* The 3 Things to Do After You Lose Your Job

* Why Does My Career Setback Still Bother Me?

* How Do You Rewrite Your Career Story?

Perks for Paid Subscribers

Moonshot Mentor paid subscribers get weekly journal prompts to spark personal and professional growth, guided meditations to help them center, reflect, and reset, plus exclusive career development and career grief workshops that build clarity, resilience, and momentum.

Here are four journal prompts for paid Moonshot Mentor subscribers. These questions are designed to help you reflect on the “divorce papers” your career may have handed you — and what mourning and moving forward might look like.

If procrastination has ever made you clean out closets, reorganize junk drawers, or (in my case) manually express your dog’s anal glands instead of working on something important—this week's post is for you. 😉 We’re taught that procrastination is a time management issue. That if we just had better systems or more discipline, we could power through.If you've been stuck, stalled, or feeling bad about it—you’re not alone, and you’re not broken.

I didn’t go to Japan to think about work.

I went for the cherry blossoms, the food, the castles—and to have the trip of a lifetime with my brother and eldest daughter.

But somewhere between getting lost in the Shinjuku train station and noticing the very cool rituals of everyday life, I started thinking differently about career strategy.

One thing that really stuck with me? You are responsible for your own trash. (Literally. There are no public trash cans. You carry it home because it's yours.) It made me think: how often do we expect our workplace to clean up emotions that are actually ours to manage?

This week on Substack, I’m sharing five everyday lessons from Japan that made me rethink how we show up at work—and what real fulfillment looks like.

Are Your Gremlins Lying to You? 👹

You know that voice—the one that whispers (or shouts) that you’re not good enough, that you’ll never recover from a career setback, that maybe it was all your fault.

That’s not the truth. That’s grief talking. And the longer we let those gremlins run wild, the more they shape how we see ourselves and what we believe is possible.

I’m breaking down why career grief invites self-doubt, how to separate fact from fear, and what you can do to rewrite the story in your head.

💡 If your gremlins have been running the show, this one’s for you.

Why do I keep starting over?

New job. New project. New industry. The thrill of something fresh is exciting—until stress kicks in, and suddenly, you're back to square one.

If you’ve ever wondered why you keep pivoting but never feel like you’re thriving, you’re not alone. Many professionals get stuck in sprouting mode—constantly starting but never fully growing into their potential.

This week on Substack, I’m diving into:

 ✅ The hidden role stress plays in keeping you stuck

 ✅ How to know if you’re exploring or avoiding discomfort

 ✅ The key mindset shifts to finally blossom in your career

If you’re tired of the cycle of starting over, this one's for you.

Why does your career setback still bother you?

You tell yourself you should be over it. Maybe it was a layoff, a promotion that never happened, or a career path that didn’t unfold the way you planned. On the surface, you’re moving forward—applying for jobs, updating LinkedIn, considering new opportunities.

But inside? Something still feels...off.

That lingering frustration, self-doubt, or exhaustion? It’s not just stress. It’s grief. Career grief is real, and when it goes unprocessed, it can keep you feeling stuck—unable to fully reclaim your motivation or confidence.

In my latest podcast/post, I break down why career grief lingers, how it impacts your ability to move forward, and a simple framework to help you work through it. Plus, I’m launching a 5-part workshop series to guide you through the process - free for paid Moonshot Mentor Subscribers.

If your career loss still weighs on you, this might be what you need.

Lately, something feels off. The skills that once set you apart don’t seem as valuable. Job descriptions read like they’re written for someone else. Conversations about AI and automation make you wonder if your experience still holds weight. Maybe you were laid off, or maybe you’re just sensing a shift—a quiet but growing fear that the career you worked so hard to build is slipping out of your grasp.

This isn’t just professional uncertainty—it’s FOBO, the fear of being obsolete. And it’s not just about staying relevant in a changing job market. It’s about identity, about mourning the version of yourself that once felt secure, capable, and needed.

You know when you’re going through something tough, and someone says, ‘Time heals all wounds’? Yeah… grief doesn’t exactly work that way. If you’ve ever wondered why grief lingers or if you should have ‘moved on’ by now, you’re in good company.

So many people think that grief has a timeline, but it doesn’t. One of my subscribers, Dennis, sent in thoughtful questions about grief, and I think they’ll resonate with so many of you.

In today’s post, I’m answering:

✅ Does grief ever truly end, or do you just learn to live with it?✅ Should you grieve alone, or does it help to include others?✅ Why do some losses hit harder than others?✅ Can grief really make it hard to function, or is that just in movies?

If any of these questions have ever crossed your mind, keep reading. And if you have your own, drop a comment or DM me—I’d love to answer them in a future post.

I’m offering The Career Grief Compass: 5-Part Workshop Series—an interactive space to process career grief and regain clarity after professional loss. Using the PHOENIX Framework, we’ll explore what’s been lost, reframe setbacks, and take small, intentional steps forward. Each session combines reflection, practical tools, and live discussion to help you move from uncertainty to renewed confidence.

This workshop series is exclusively for paid subscribers ($5/month or $50/year). As a paid subscriber, you’ll also get access to:

✔️ Co-working sessions to stay accountable and make progress ✔️ Exclusive guided meditations to navigate career grief and transitions

Exclusive journal prompts for every blog ✔️ A supportive community of professionals redefining success on their terms

The first session kicks off on Tuesday, April 29, at 3:30 PM PST, with sessions every other Tuesday through June 17. Registration details will be sent out soon to paid subscribers.

If you’re ready to move from stuck to empowered, I’d love to see you there. Subscribe now and be part of the conversation.

What most people don’t understand is that growing your career is completely different from scaling your career. Growth and scaling are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. Depending on where you’re at in your career trajectory, you may want to consider scaling rather than growing.

Growth is about increasing your output—taking on more projects, acquiring new skills, or advancing to a higher position. There’s often a correlation between the hours you put in and the progress you make. That kind of progression has value, but it can also be exhausting and lead to burn out. Growth also tends to be linear—one step at a time with each new opportunity demanding more work, time, or resources.

Scaling, on the other hand, is about expanding your impact without a proportional increase in effort. Think optimizing systems, relationships, and strategies so you can achieve more without the burn out. For example, rather than networking endlessly, you cultivate a handful of key relationships that open multiple doors. Instead of taking on every opportunity, you focus on the ones that truly align with your long-term goals.

There’s a lot of pressure to develop a thick skin and walk it off when something we’ve poured our heart and soul into just… doesn’t happen. But ignoring the ouch doesn’t make it go away.

The hard truth? Some projects don’t make it. Maybe your film got shelved, your contract was canceled, or the work you invested in was suddenly deprioritized. No matter the industry, not everything—or everyone—crosses the finish line.

In Western society, we cling to success to make us feel safe. So taking a moment to say "ouch" is counter to what we are taught: suck it up, don’t be so sensitive, don’t dwell. It sucks that we’re conditioned to ignore the gut punch because ignoring the emotional impact of a setback doesn’t erase it. It just buries it, making it harder to fully engage with the next opportunity.

Renewal rituals—intentional acts to mark an ending—help us heal the hurt so we can be ready for what’s next.

There’s nothing that tests our endurance like launching and sustaining a career. Sometimes, it feels like the sheer grit and drive it takes could power a spaceship into another galaxy. There’s the studying and training to hone our craft, accruing 10,000 hours to gain mastery, building the “right” relationships, and, of course, hoping a little luck falls like fairy dust on our career dreams.

It’s no wonder so many of us experience burnout.

Recently, I came across a study that blew my mind (thank you to my brilliant friend and filmmaker Uttera Singh @uttera for sharing it with me) about migrating bats. It gave me an entirely new way to think about the impatience I often feel when trying to hit career goals.

The Value of a Summary on Your Resume

I’ll admit it—I’m a self-professed control freak. Which is exactly why I love a summary at the top of a resume.

Think about the power of first impressions. Whether you’re meeting someone for the first time or skimming a document, those opening lines set the tone for everything that follows. Psychologists call this the primacy effect—we tend to remember what comes first more than what comes later. A summary works the same way on a resume: it primes the reader’s brain, frames your story, and helps recruiters know what to pay attention to.

Here’s an example. If someone introduces me to their friend Jack, I’m inclined to see him as trustworthy because of the connection. If they introduce him as their plumber, I immediately assess him in a professional context—can he solve my problem? If they introduce him as a Harvard graduate, it’s just information—I don’t yet know what to make of it.

Your resume summary functions the same way. It provides the lens through which the rest of your experience is read. Without it, recruiters are left to make their own assumptions.

We used to be able to use functional resumes, which group skills into themes rather than timelines to control the narrative, but those rarely make it past the robots these days. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) struggle with non-linear structures and can’t always connect the dots. Since most companies still rely on chronological resumes, a summary at the top becomes your best chance to control how your story gets read.

What Is a Resume Summary (and Why It Replaced the Objective)?

For decades, resumes typically began with an objective—a short statement about what the job seeker wanted. Something like, “Seeking a challenging marketing position where I can grow my skills and advance my career.”

The problem? Objectives were entirely self-focused. They told the employer what you wanted, not what you could offer.

Then the 2000s changed everything. Online job boards like Monster and CareerBuilder meant employers were flooded with resumes. Recruiters didn’t have time to read carefully—they skimmed. Meanwhile, Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) became standard, filtering applications by scanning for keywords from job postings. The result: hiring became faster, higher volume, and much more competitive.

Enter the modern resume summary. Instead of focusing on the job seeker’s goals, the summary shifted the spotlight to the employer’s needs. It’s a short professional pitch—2 to 5 sentences—that:

* Puts the employer first by highlighting your most relevant skills and achievements.

* Uses keywords strategically to get noticed by both ATS and human readers.

* Acts as a highlight reel, drawing the recruiter in and showing them at a glance how you can solve their problem.

But the summary isn’t just a convenience. It’s also a framing device rooted in how our brains actually work:

* Schema theory: By providing a frame—say, “Creative Executive transitioning into Project Management”—you prime the recruiter to look for the evidence that supports it.

* Framing effect: The angle you choose shapes the interpretation. Call yourself a “strategic communicator,” and your experience reads differently than if you call yourself a “public relations specialist.”

* Predictive coding: Our brains make predictions as we read. A summary primes those predictions so the recruiter naturally interprets your bullet points as proof of the story you’ve already set up.

That’s why a resume summary has become so valuable. It’s not just a nice-to-have—it’s a tool to control the narrative. Instead of leaving a recruiter to draw their own conclusions, you hand them the lens through which to see your career.

How to Write a Strong Summary

The biggest mistake I see with summaries is that people treat them like packing for a family vacation—seven bathing suits, rash guards in every size, a pile of goggles, flip flops, sneakers, workout clothes, a sun hat, baseball cap, bucket hat, floppy hat, wide-brim beach hat… and that’s before the fancy dinner outfits, bags, and jackets. All crammed into one suitcase.

Your summary is not a luggage cart of your entire career. It’s a go-bag: just the essentials that make you nimble, primed, and ready.

So how do you actually write a summary that captures attention, frames your story, and signals to both humans and machines that you’re the right fit? A strong summary follows a few key principles:

* Keep it short: 2–5 sentences.

* Use keywords: Borrow directly from the job description to show alignment.

* Tailor it for each role: Write your resume first, then craft your summary for that specific opening.

* Include one concrete accomplishment: Numbers or outcomes make it real.

* Skip personal pronouns: Keep the focus professional.

If you need a place to start, here’s a simple formula (from Jobscan). Use it as a guide, then make it your own:

[Job Title] with experience in [Skill 1], [Skill 2], and [Skill 3]. Proven ability to [Accomplishment 1] and [Accomplishment 2]. Known for [Work style, strength, or value you bring to the role].

Examples of Weak vs. Strong Summaries

I always find it helpful to see examples, but before we dive into those let’s be clear on what makes a summary weak versus what makes it strong.

A weak summary is vague, generic, and self-focused. It tells the employer what you want but doesn’t show them what you can deliver. It lacks specifics, keywords, and measurable impact.

A strong summary, on the other hand, is precise, employer-focused, and backed by proof. It highlights the value you bring, uses language from the job description, and gives the recruiter a reason to keep reading. It frames your story and makes it easy to connect the dots.

Below are three examples of how that difference plays out in practice. Let’s start with a weak executive-level example that doesn’t do much heavy lifting:

Weak:“Experienced communications professional with a background in media and leadership. Looking for a senior role where I can use my skills and help a company succeed.”

Why it’s weak: It’s vague, self-focused, and filled with clichés. The phrases “experienced” and “looking for a senior role” could apply to thousands of candidates. There’s no evidence, no accomplishments, and no sense of what makes this person stand out.

Here’s a stronger version of that same summary:

Strong:“EVP of Communications with expertise in corporate strategy, media relations, and executive messaging. Proven ability to lead global teams and manage multi-million-dollar campaigns that elevate brand reputation and drive stakeholder engagement. Known for combining strategic vision with hands-on execution to deliver clear, compelling communications in high-stakes environments.”

Why it’s strong: It leads with the title, signals seniority, and immediately names core strengths. Notice the use of action-driven phrases like “proven ability” and “known for.” It quantifies scope (global teams, multi-million-dollar campaigns) and shows impact (elevating brand reputation, driving engagement). This frames the candidate as a strategic leader who delivers results.

Now let’s look at a career pivot.

Weak:“Creative professional with experience in entertainment and production. Looking for a role that leverages my skills in management and strategy.”

Why it’s weak: Again, it’s generic and self-focused. “Creative professional” could mean anything. “Looking for a role” tells us nothing about what the applicant can contribute. There’s no connection between past experience and the role they’re targeting.

Strong (career pivot):“Creative Executive transitioning to Project Manager. Bringing 10 years of experience leading cross-functional teams with transferable strengths in strategic planning, budget management, and deadline execution. Known for delivering complex projects 15% under budget and improving team efficiency by 20%. Ready to apply proven leadership skills to fast-paced project environments.”

Why it’s strong: It names the pivot directly—“transitioning to Project Manager”—and guides the recruiter’s lens. Transferable skills are spelled out, accomplishments are quantified, and the tone is confident. Instead of asking the recruiter to connect the dots, it does the work for them.

And here’s how it works for someone just starting out.

Weak:“Recent graduate seeking an entry-level position to learn new skills and gain experience.”

Why it’s weak: This is purely self-oriented—it tells us what the candidate wants rather than what they offer. There are no specifics, no evidence, and nothing memorable.

Strong (objective statement for a recent graduate):“Recent graduate with a B.A. in Communications and hands-on experience in digital media. Completed an internship managing content calendars and boosting engagement by 15%. Eager to bring strong writing skills, fresh ideas, and digital fluency to a growing marketing team.”

Why it’s strong: It’s specific (degree + field), offers proof of experience (internship + 15% boost in engagement), and shifts the focus to what the graduate can contribute (skills, ideas, energy). It positions them as ready to add value, not just hoping to gain it.

In a job market where recruiters spend seconds scanning resumes, your summary isn’t just an intro—it’s your headline, your hook, and your chance to control the story.

Bottom Line

A summary is your chance to control the narrative. Just like the way you’re introduced to “Jack” changes how you see him—friend, plumber, or Harvard grad—your summary sets the lens through which recruiters read your entire resume. Without it, they’re left to make snap judgments based on scattered details.

Psychology tells us this matters: framing shapes interpretation, schemas guide what people notice, and the brain looks for patterns to confirm its first impression. By writing a focused, employer-centered summary, you’re not just listing skills—you’re directing how your career story gets processed, remembered, and valued.

That’s why the summary isn’t filler. It’s strategy.

Related Content

* Why Am I Not Getting Interviews?

* Do Bats Have A Smarter Career Strategy Than You?

Perks for Paid Subscribers

Moonshot Mentor paid subscribers get weekly journal prompts to spark personal and professional growth, guided meditations to help them center, reflect, and reset, plus exclusive career development and career grief workshops that build clarity, resilience, and momentum.

Here are four questions to help you reflect on the value of framing your career story through a resume summary:

Why does career progress sometimes feel impossible?

You’re smart, experienced, and putting in the work—so why does it feel like you’re standing still?

I’ve coached ambitious professionals for over a decade, and I’ve seen 50 common reasons people feel stuck in their careers. Some are external—bias, industry shifts, company politics. But sometimes what holds us back is actually within our control.

Things like:🔹 Waiting to feel confident instead of taking action.🔹 Mistaking busyness for real progress.🔹 Assuming your work speaks for itself (it doesn’t—relationships matter).🔹 Chasing success that no longer fits who you are.🔹 Letting fear or perfectionism keep you in a holding pattern.

Feeling stuck isn’t failure—it’s feedback. And small, intentional shifts can help you regain momentum.

Once a month, I’ll be breaking away from my normal blog and video format to bring you some short, guided meditations. You can also watch them on my YouTube channel, where I am still posting videos every week.

I hope that they help bring some ease to your every day. Please let me know if you enjoy them as I love hearing your feedback!

If you like what you’re reading, please subscribe or share. It will help me reach my moonshot of 5000 subscribers. I write more about why I have paid subscriptions here.

🙌🏾  Questions? Would you like additional support in career transitions? I offer private coaching sessions as well as in-person and virtual group work. Reach out directly here to set up a complimentary consultation.

The one step you can take that will make all the difference between stagnating and thriving in your career: know your why.

What truly sets apart those who thrive isn’t just talent or experience—it’s clarity about their why, a deep understanding of the purpose behind their work. Knowing your why fuels your drive, brings deeper satisfaction when you achieve goals, and gives you resilience to overcome inevitable challenges.

A simple metaphor to bring the importance of your why alive: Imagine running a marathon knowing that crossing the finish line will cure cancer. Wouldn’t that kind of purpose give you the energy to train, care for injuries, fuel your body, get the right gear, and build the support team you need to finish strong?

What is Your Why?

Your why is your inner motivation—the reason you show up every day. It’s not tied to titles, paychecks, or recognition. It’s about the impact you want to make and what you care about most, even if no one notices.

Your why is your reason for being that acknowledges your natural talents and how you use them to make a difference in the world.

Your why isn’t your job or career. Your job is just one way you live out your purpose.

Every client I’ve worked with who has clarity about their why has been able to overcome challenges that once seemed impossible. Take my client Gigi, for example. After 18 years as an analyst at Boeing—a job she landed right out of college—she was laid off. At first, she was devastated. Her work had always been a source of pride, and her career goals were centered around building stability: starting a family and saving for retirement. But after the layoff, she realized that job security wasn’t a real why.

Gigi took the time to reevaluate her purpose and “start from square one.” Through our work together, she rediscovered her passion for solving unsolvable problems and (ironically) her talent for long-term thinking. She also realized how much she cared about leaving the world a better place for her kids. Her new why became clear: combining her love of problem-solving with her data analysis skills to help create a more sustainable future for generations to come. Today, Gigi is interviewing for roles as a sustainability analyst, where she can help companies reduce their carbon footprint while living out her purpose.

Finding Your Why

To connect with your why and use it to move forward, ask yourself:

* What do you love to do? What brings you joy and makes you lose track of time? These often align with your natural talents.

* What are you good at? If you’re unsure, ask friends or colleagues for feedback.

* What breaks your heart? What feels intolerable in the world that you wish you could change?

Write Your Purpose Statement

Once you’ve reflected on these questions, write your why statement. Here’s a simple structure to follow:

* What you love …

* What you’re good at …

* What you’re called to change …

I know this might feel daunting so I’m going to give you two examples. One from me and one from a client.

* What I love: I love to bring structure to chaos through planning, organization and strategy. I love to learn and share knowledge. I love to create community and brave spaces where people can be vulnerable so they can find connection, community and belonging.

* What I’m good at: listening, project management, editing, curriculum development, seeing possibility.

* What hurts my heart are barriers to entry and when people believe that they are less than because of a setback.

When I tied it all together into a why statement, this is what it looks like:

I am an intuitive, compassionate listener, creative problem solver, and highly organized strategist who excels in nurturing safe spaces, project management, curriculum development, and writing. I make grief work in the professional realm socially acceptable so people can fully honor their values, rewrite their narratives, return to wholeness, and hit their moonshot with grace.

When writing your statement, use the present tense. Saying, “I am an intuitive, compassionate listener” is far more powerful than, “I hope to become an intuitive, compassionate listener.”

Clara’s Story: Living Her Why

Clara, a marketing director, felt stuck. She thought success meant climbing the ladder, but promotions and pay raises left her unfulfilled. To find clarity, she asked herself:

* What do I love? Storytelling and helping others communicate their value.

* What am I good at? Simplifying complex ideas and making them relatable.

* What breaks my heart? Seeing people struggle to tell their stories.

Here’s Clara’s why statement:

I am a compassionate storyteller and skilled communicator who excels at simplifying complex ideas and making them relatable. I am passionate about helping underdogs—like small business owners and individuals who face bias—find their voice and share their value with the world. My purpose is to empower others to tell their stories with clarity and confidence, so they can overcome obstacles, connect meaningfully, and thrive in the face of adversity.

With this clarified why, Clara started to refocus her work. But there was a challenge: her boss didn’t see the value in shifting resources to support smaller businesses, which seemed less prestigious than working with big-budget clients. Clara had to advocate for her vision. She gathered data, shared case studies, and rallied her team to support fresh, creative ideas.

Her why gave her the clarity and confidence to push through resistance. Clara launched a pilot campaign for small businesses, which strengthened client relationships and energized her team. The success reignited Clara’s passion and eventually led to a VP role where she continues to align her work with her purpose and inspire others.

Bottom Line

Knowing your why turns your career into more than just a series of tasks—it becomes a meaningful journey that reflects your strengths and values. Your purpose gives you the clarity to face challenges, the resilience to grow through them, and the energy to achieve meaningful goals. When you center your why, you create momentum that inspires others and opens doors you never imagined.

Journal Prompts

Sometimes the idea of knowing your why feels exciting. Other times, it can feel overwhelming, even intimidating. These prompts are designed to help you get curious about what your why means to you and how it can show up in your career. Take a little time to think about each one, and see what surfaces.

If you like what you’re reading, please subscribe or share. It will help me reach my moonshot of 5000 subscribers. I write more about why I have paid subscriptions here.

When I was fired from CBS back in 2006, all I could do was replay over and over and over the mistakes I made—everything from speaking up in a meeting when I should have kept quiet to making a snarky comment on an email and accidentally hitting "reply all" to not managing the tone of my voice when I would get frustrated.

My inner dialogue was harsh and punishing and pushed me further into a depression. I know I’m not alone in this. One of my clients almost quit her beloved career as a result of a mistake.

It’s Random Act of Kindness Day, and I challenge you to forgive yourself for a mistake as an act of radical self-kindness. If your stomach drops at the thought, stay with me. You can start small: “I forgive myself for not responding to that email in a timely way.”

Forgiving yourself, one mistake at a time, is a transformative process. It lightens the emotional weight you carry and helps you move past the drudgery of self-criticism.

Few moments in life feel as destabilizing as when everything you’ve worked for comes undone in an instant.

I recently came across a LinkedIn post from Alexandra Long, PhD, who shared her story about a devastating career setback. She had just graduated with her doctorate in clinical psychology from American University and signed a final job offer to begin work as a staff psychologist at a federal agency. Then came the news: her job offer was rescinded due to the Presidential Memorandum on the federal hiring freeze.

I don’t know Dr. Long, but her post struck a chord with me. A setback like hers is one I’ve seen many clients face. It’s disorienting, frustrating, and entirely outside your control.

But while you can’t control what happened, you can take ownership of the story you tell yourself about it. Stories like, “I wasted my time,” “I’ll never have another chance like this,” or “I’m aging out” may feel automatic, but they aren’t the truth. If these thoughts sound familiar, it’s time to rewrite your story.

What happens when the world tells you to settle for less than what you know you’re capable of? Mae C. Jemison, the first Black woman to travel into space, faced that question head-on. Her answer was simple: "Don't let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity." These words are a powerful reminder for anyone with big dreams—a moonshot, really.

I used to hate networking. It felt clunky, false and forced because I wanted my entire network to feel deeply meaningful. Then I realized I was approaching networking as one-size-fits-all. Turns out not every relationship has to be long-term and “Kumbaya.” Some networking is purely transactional, and that’s okay. The problem is when we mix the two approaches (relational and transactional) or don’t understand their distinct purposes.

By recognizing the difference, you can approach networking with clarity and intention. So, how do you know when to lean on transactional networking versus building a trust-based, long-term relationship? The answer can ease your anxiety and help you feel more confident—even if you’re worried you have "nothing to offer."

At the end of year, there’s a lot of talk about resolutions and the promising big changes and fresh starts we will be making. But studies have shown how resolutions often fizzle out, which impacts our self-esteem and confidence. 

Reflection takes a different approach. It encourages you to slow down, think about the highs and lows of the past year, and get clear on what matters to you. It’s a powerful and effective tool that can be used after any experience. 

I’ve put together a simple journal exercise to guide you through reflecting on where you’ve been, where you are now, and what you want to create for the year ahead. It’s a chance to step into the new year with clarity and purpose—without the stress of keeping up with rigid goals. Check out this week’s post!

The holiday season is here, and with it comes the endless to-do lists, family gatherings, and work deadlines. It’s easy to feel like there’s no time to stop, let alone rest.

But here’s the thing: rest is what allows you to show up fully for the people and responsibilities that matter most. Without rest, we risk burnout, poor decisions, and losing sight of what’s truly important during this season of connection and giving.

In this week’s blog, I explore why rest is an ethical responsibility which I hope will help you make the best decision about how rest fits into your life.

I want to start by acknowledging that today’s post is a little different from my usual. While I typically focus on offering insights and reflections for navigating career challenges, this one has a specific purpose: to share details about two groups I’m launching in January. These groups are designed to help producers and creatives tackle some of the most complex decisions in filmmaking. Whether you’re new here or a longtime reader, I hope this post sparks some useful ideas, even if joining isn’t the right fit for you.

Choosing how to distribute your film can feel like one of the biggest decisions you’ll make as a producer or filmmaker. It’s about more than just getting your film in front of an audience—it’s about ensuring you and your investors get a return on all that you’ve put into the making of the movie.

With traditional distribution, you hand the reins to an established distributor. They have expertise and a depth of experience along with handling the heavy lifting—getting your film onto big platforms, managing marketing, and ensuring wide reach. But this comes at a cost: less control over the process and a smaller share of the profits.

With self-distribution you have greater control of the rollout strategy and the marketing plan. The potential for higher profits is there, but so is the workload. And statistically self-distributed films typically do not see as great of a return on investment. You’ll need a significant amount of time, resources, and a good understanding of the distribution landscape to make it work.

A good friend of mine worked her ass off for four years to write her screenplay, put financing together and finally make her movie. Unfortunately, she didn’t have a distribution strategy in place and realized very late that she needed additional funds to enter festivals, create marketing materials and hire a publicist. I don’t want anyone to make the same mistakes.

That’s why understanding these options is so important. Take the indie movie Columbus, for example. There’s a great case study about it online. After its Sundance premiere, the producers chose self-distribution to maintain creative control. They focused their resources on reaching audiences who would resonate with the film’s themes, tailoring their strategy to smaller theaters and building word of mouth. It’s a great example of how self-distribution, while demanding, can be a smart move if you know your audience and have a clear plan. But it was also very risky.

Starting in January, I’ll be launching groups to support producers, writers, directors, and actors to understand and navigate the complexities of getting their movie made.

In the Moonshot Mentor Mastermind Producer Group and Moonshot Mentor Hybrid Producer Group, we’ll explore everything from financing to distribution in depth.

If you’re ready to make a confident decision about your film’s future, I encourage you to check out these communities. Both are application-based to ensure a committed group of peers who are as invested in their projects as you are. You can learn more about the Mastermind here and the Hybrid Producer Group here.

If you like what you’re reading, please subscribe or share. It will help me reach my moonshot of 5000 subscribers.

🙌🏾  Questions? Would you like additional support in accessing resilience? I offer private coaching sessions as well as in-person and virtual group work. Reach out directly here to set up a complimentary consultation.

My blog aims to help people achieve their ambitious goals, their moonshot if you will. 😃 Oftentimes, though, we neglect an essential aspect of pursuing our dreams: the inevitable missteps, obstacles, and failures that come our way. Failing to acknowledge and process these losses properly can lead to imposter syndrome, burnout, low self-esteem, confusion, and even result in completely abandoning our dreams. 😟  That's why I strongly advocate for embracing grief awareness (along with other tools like values identification, knowing your why, sharpening executive function, habit forming, and more.) By doing so, we can effectively navigate challenges, regain motivation, and hit our moonshots. ✌🏾️ If you know someone who could benefit, please share this newsletter or recommend me to them. 🙏

If you’ve ever dreamed of getting your book published by a traditional publisher, you’ve probably heard the same advice I did: “You need an agent.”

Today I’m sharing exactly how I landed mine. The steps I took, what I’d do differently, and the three things I wish I’d known before I started.

And if you’re not a writer? Think of this as a playbook for pitching yourself into any big opportunity — a job, a speaking engagement, a creative collaboration — where the answer is almost always “no” unless you make a compelling, strategic case.

Step 1: Decide on Your Path — Traditional, Self, or Hybrid Publishing

Before you get too far down the road with writing your book, take a moment to think about which route you want to take to get your work into the hands of your ideal reader. Why does it matter? Because the path shapes every decision that follows — how you write, who you partner with, and how you plan to market. Clarity upfront helps you set realistic expectations and avoid burnout midstream. Here are your three routes:

* Traditional Publishing – You sign with a publisher who covers editing, design, distribution, and some marketing. You get credibility and an advance, but the process takes longer and you’ll still carry much of the promotional work.

* Self-Publishing – You control the whole process, from editing to cover design to marketing. It’s faster and royalties are higher, but all costs and logistics are on you.

* Hybrid Publishing – You pay upfront for professional editing, design, and distribution services while keeping creative control. It blends traditional polish with self-publishing autonomy.

I knew I wanted to first go for traditional publishing for two reasons:

* Editorial partnership – I wanted to work with a seasoned editor who could help me reach the full potential of this book.

* Infrastructure and distribution – While publishers no longer invest heavily in marketing, they do have systems in place that I couldn’t (and didn’t want to) build myself.

If I don’t secure a traditional publisher, then I’ll most likely self-publish.

Step 2: Prepare Your Proposal (Nonfiction) or Manuscript (Fiction)

Nonfiction = proposal. Fiction = full manuscript. That was my first big lesson.

Since I’m writing a non-fiction book, I needed a book proposal to send to publishing agents. A book proposal is basically a sales pitch for your book: part summary, part marketing plan, part writing sample. It convinces an agent or publisher to say yes.

A publishing agent then submits to publishing houses on my behalf after I’ve done a rewrite of the proposal based on the feedback from the agent.

I found free proposal templates online, asked my network for examples, and quickly realized I needed more than a template. I needed accountability, guidance and mentorship. I was in over my head, but had confidence I could swim with some help.

I found my book proposal coach through a recommendation and knew after meeting her that she was the right fit. Her name is Patti Hall and I loved her energy, her immediate understanding of my vision and that she had worked with other first-time authors in my genre. We worked together for about nine months both 1:1 and in a group setting.

To be transparent: I missed every deadline I set for myself. Writing the proposal was harder than I expected. Without Patti and the group support, I would have quit.

Whether you’re writing a proposal or a manuscript, get super honest and clear about what will set you up for success in completing your work and go after it. (I found James Clear’s book Atomic Habits helpful in finding what motivates me: structure and the desire to be an A+ student.)

Step 3: Research and Target the Right Agents

Once I had my book proposal polished, I was ready to find a publishing agent. The two most helpful tools in figuring out which agents to submit to were QueryTracker (it’s free!) and my network. (Check out this blog about the value of “loose” connections in your network — a vast majority of people find help not from their closest connections.)

QueryTracker is a subscription app that allows you to search for publishing agents by genre, see who’s open to queries, submit a query based on the agent’s preferences, and track submissions.

Every agent has a different process. Some want an email submission with the proposal pasted into the body of the email. Others want it as a Word attachment (not a PDF which I found surprising). Some have a submission form that asks about the subject matter of your book, your social media profile, and your bio. From there, if they’re interested, they’ll request the full proposal.

When I researched agents on QueryTracker, I asked myself:

* Do they represent books like mine?

* Do I connect with their sensibility?Have they recently sold projects in my category?

When reaching out to my network, I didn’t discriminate because I had no idea who knew who. I said something like: “I’m looking for a nonfiction publishing agent, open to new authors, who works in the self-help space and might have an affinity for topics that are familiar but with a twist, like career grief.” About a dozen friends, or friends-of-friends, came back with recommendations and generously referred me so I had a soft landing as opposed to a cold email submission.

A third tool I used was a bit more pie-in-the-sky, but still valuable. I curated a list of about 20 books that were similar to mine in category, topic, and style, then researched who the publishing agent was for each one. (I both googled for the answer and checked the acknowledgements in the book.) Most of those agents weren’t accepting query letters at the time, but I don’t regret the exercise.

Step 4: Personalize Your Query Letters

Don’t spray and pray. Personalization matters.

I spent 20–30 minutes on each letter, even with a template that I created. I researched every agent and customized my pitch to reflect their recent deals or stated interests.

Yes, I made mistakes. I once sent an agent I’ll call Taylor Casey a query that began, “Dear Casey” instead of “Dear Taylor.” 🤦🏽‍♀️ In fairness, she does have two first names. I caught it the second I hit send, freaked out, and tried to unsend, but the window closed before I could. I immediately followed up with an apology. To her credit, she wrote back a few days later, very kind, and said it definitely wasn’t the first time someone had called her Casey.

I also used LinkedIn to see if I had direct or indirect connections to agents on my list, asking for introductions when I could.

A quick run-down of my stats:

* 137 total agents identified, but about ⅔ were not accepting submissions

* 48 submitted queries over a three week period of time (it took that long to do my homework and personalize all the letters)

* 29 non-responses

* 15 rejections (14 cited low social media presence, 1 cited the writing)

* 4 expressed interest

The non-responses didn’t bother me. Publishing etiquette is refreshingly clear compared to Hollywood: if you don’t hear within their stated window, it’s a pass. Simple. I was also delighted that some agents said that if I received interest to ping them, they would move my submission to the top of the pile.

Step 5: Choose Your Match

I know that I was incredibly lucky to have interest from four agents. I met with them and asked:

* What is your process? I was looking for someone who would do developmental work with me because I knew I still had so much to learn.

* What would be your submission strategy? I was ready to trust them completely — I’ve never taken a book proposal out and had no interest in second-guessing an expert. That said, I love to learn, and strategy is my jam.

* What creative notes do you have? This was the most important question. I wanted to be aligned on the direction of the book so we’d be working in tandem. Their feedback would also influence which editors and houses they targeted.

It was a hard choice, but I signed with Jude Marwa at Peters Fraser + Dunlop (PFD) because:

* Her creative feedback was sharp and specific

* She partnered with a more seasoned agent at PFD in my category for when it came time to build strategy and make submissions

* I could see her passion for the project and we have a mutual friend who trusts her implicitly.

The truth? All four were amazing and I could not have made a bad decision. Sometimes there’s more than one “right” answer.

Three Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started

* Logline and bio: Before you dive into the process — whether it’s writing, working with a coach, sending queries, or meeting with agents — take the time to write three versions of your book description: one page, one paragraph, and one sentence. You’ll need this information handy when asking your network for support, submitting to potential agents and as you begin your own promotion.

Your bio is just as critical. It’s what your network (and agent) will use when introducing you, what goes into your query, and honestly, what you’ll lean on so you don’t ramble when an agent (or editor) says, “Tell me about yourself.” Like the logline, have long, medium, and short versions ready.

* Comparable titles are critical: Agents and publishers want to know where your book fits on the shelf. This means recent comps (within five years) that show market demand and leave space for your unique angle.

* Expect the weather to change: Some days you’ll be stuck, blocked, or ready to quit. The clouds pass. The sun comes out. Clouds come back. The sun comes back.

The Career Strategy Trojan Horse

On the surface, today’s post is about getting a literary agent. But the same principles apply to any ambitious career move:

* Clarify your goal and path before you start pitching

* Do the research so you’re aiming at the right opportunities

* Get expert support to accelerate your learning curve

* Personalize your pitch to the decision-maker

* Accept rejection as data, not a verdict

* Choose partners for fit, not flash

Building my career as an author isn’t separate from my work as a coach, speaker, or workshop facilitator — it’s part of the same arc. I’m still growing, still pitching, still weathering the “no’s” and following the “yeses.”

I’ll keep sharing the behind-the-scenes because I know so many of you are on your own long, winding road toward a big goal. We can be in it together!

Bottom Line

Getting a literary agent is a mix of persistence, strategy, and luck — but it’s also a mirror for any big career leap. Decide on your path, do the homework, keep pitching through the weather, and trust that the right partner will show up when preparation and opportunity intersect.

This space isn’t just about reading—it’s about growing. Join the Moonshot Mentor community of paid subscribers and receive journal prompts that help you reflect, process, and move forward with clarity.

Perks for Paid Subscribers

Moonshot Mentor paid subscribers get weekly journal prompts to spark personal and professional growth, guided meditations to help them center, reflect, and reset, plus exclusive career development and career grief workshops that build clarity, resilience, and momentum.

Here are four questions to help you reflect on your own “publishing path” — whether that’s a book, a career move, or another big opportunity:

Is your career where you want it to be? 🌟 Or do you feel stuck, unsure how to move forward? Whether you’re celebrating wins or feeling frustrated by setbacks, this time of year is perfect for taking stock of where you are—and where you want to go.

The gap between your current career and your ideal future can feel overwhelming. It might stir up stress about what’s next or anxiety about how to get there. 

In this week’s blog, you’ll learn how to identify the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, understand the role stress and anxiety play, and discover simple strategies to help you move forward. 

If you’ve been following the journey, you know about the Moonshot Mentor Mastermind Producer Group and Moonshot Mentor Hybrid Producer Group launching this January. These groups bring together producers, writers, directors, and actors who are ready to take control of their projects and connect with a like-minded circle.

We’re still accepting applications! If you’re looking to join a curated community where you can gain clarity, build resilience, and start the new year with actionable steps, this is the perfect time to apply. You can learn more about the Mastermind here and the Moonshot Hybrid Producer Group here.

It's totally normal to constantly evaluate the world around us—it’s how we navigate life and make decisions. But when judgment takes over, it can cloud our perspective and keep us stuck in frustration or comparison. Shifting to discernment or assessment offers clarity and growth, helping us align with our values and focus on solutions. In this week's blog and podcast, I’ll explore how these tools can transform how you approach career challenges and decisions.

I’m back to share more about the Moonshot Mentor Mastermind Producer Group and the Moonshot Mentor Hybrid Producer Group, both starting up in January for film producers, writers, directors, and actors who are ready to step into the world of producing. Here are my past posts about these offerings:

Producing a movie is a moonshot—an ambitious leap that demands everything from creativity and vision to resilience and grit. But with moonshots come inevitable setbacks. The truth is, as producers, we hear far more “no’s” than “yes’s.” Rejections and obstacles are part of the path, and studies have shown that when failure goes unprocessed, it can lead to a real loss of resilience—the very quality needed to go the distance in this work.

One of the key skills in building resilience is learning to assess situations clearly. There’s a big difference between judgment and assessment. Judgment, especially self-criticism, can weigh us down, adding stress and diminishing confidence. In contrast, assessment is an honest observation of facts without the emotional sting. It’s like looking through a clear lens—seeing what happened for what it is, without adding layers of self-reproach. Learning to assess instead of judge can be a powerful shift, allowing us to process setbacks with clarity rather than emotional burden.

If you like what you’re reading, please subscribe or share. It will help me reach my moonshot of 5000 subscribers.

Another resilience skill is discernment—a kind of intentional direction-setting rooted in values, purpose, and the ability to learn from others without simply adopting their strategies. In producing, it’s easy to feel pressured to follow someone else’s path just because it worked for them. But discernment helps us make choices aligned with what’s best for our specific project. It allows us to selectively take what works while staying true to the vision and needs of our own film. Discernment is what enables us to keep moving forward constructively, with a clear sense of purpose, rather than getting sidetracked by each setback or trying to replicate someone else’s approach.

In the Mastermind Producer Group and Hybrid Producer Group, we focus on building resilience skills like assessment and discernment, giving members the tools to navigate the industry’s highs and lows with a grounded mindset. In the groups, producers can share their experiences openly, gain new perspectives, and process setbacks in a supportive environment.

If you’re ready to build the resilience needed to handle the challenges of producing, I encourage you to explore these groups. Both are application-based to ensure a curated, committed circle of peers. You can learn more about the Mastermind here and the Moonshot Hybrid Producer Group here.

Next week, I’ll introduce each group fully, explaining who they’re for and what you can expect. But if you’re looking to build resilience alongside like-minded producers, consider applying today.

🙌🏾  Questions? Would you like additional support in accessing resilience? I offer private coaching sessions as well as in-person and virtual group work. Reach out directly here to set up a complimentary consultation.