Q: I'm facing a job change and am thinking about my next step. In reflecting, I realize that I've never had a plan or vision for where I want to be and have just let chance guide me. How I should proceed?
Alex, 48, senior manager, communications
A: Many things go into a life, combining planned steps and serendipity. While most of us are not on one extreme or the other, your comfort with your place on that continuum may be changing.
Your concern is sufficient reason to pause and take stock before you move forward.
Think about all of the aspects that are contained in the phrase, "where I want to be." It can mean the location you live in, but can also be as broad as the title you've achieved or alignment with personal values.
This will vary for each person, depending on priorities. With that in mind, review your past choices for themes and patterns. Importantly, look at opportunities you have opted not to pursue. These are a profound source of insight.
It's great to learn from the past, but it doesn't define your future.
Be deliberate in thinking about what is important to you right now and what you would like in the coming years.