There is a phase in many career transitions that feels particularly uncomfortable — the space where nothing is clearly wrong, yet nothing feels quite right either.
You may still be in your role, but emotionally, you’re already somewhere else. You sense that a shift is needed, but you can’t yet name what that shift looks like. Plans feel premature. Certainty feels out of reach.
This is the in-between phase.
It’s often mistaken for confusion, indecision, or lack of direction. But in reality, it’s a deeply meaningful stage — one that resists speed and demands patience.
In a culture that values clarity, momentum, and visible progress, the in-between can feel like stagnation. There’s pressure to “figure it out,” to define the next step, to turn uncertainty into action as quickly as possible.
But not all clarity arrives on demand.
Sometimes, the most important work happening in a career transition is invisible. You are unlearning assumptions. You are questioning long-held definitions of success. You are listening to parts of yourself that were previously overshadowed by responsibility, expectation, or routine.
During this phase, people often report subtle internal shifts:
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A growing intolerance for misalignment
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A desire for work that feels more human and sustainable
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A need for meaning that goes beyond external validation
These aren’t problems to solve. They are signals to pay attention.
The in-between phase asks different questions — quieter ones:
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What do I need more of in my working life now?
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What am I no longer willing to sacrifice?
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What kind of environment allows me to function at my best?
You don’t need immediate answers.
You need space to explore without judgment.
Being here doesn’t mean you’re behind.
It means you’re listening.
And listening — especially after years of doing and achieving — is not a weakness. It’s a form of intelligence.