Hey friend,
"Lydia" came to our coaching session with a problem that sounded like success from the outside. She'd built a thriving events business, had consistent revenue, and stayed busy with a packed calendar of activities.
But she was miserable.
"I realize I'm spending probably far too much time alone in front of a computer screen, which is exactly what I hated about working in corporate," she told me. "And it feels like I would never get any work done if I were to do any of these things that I would actually like to do."
Despite all her activity, "Lydia" felt completely stuck. She'd wake up overwhelmed by her to-do list, spend hours in front of a computer doing work that felt exactly like the corporate job she'd left, and attend networking events in the evenings where she felt disconnected from everyone around her.
Sound familiar? Whether you're running a business, climbing the corporate ladder, or freelancing your way to freedom, this pattern shows up everywhere.
This is the modern professional's hidden trap: mistaking motion for progress, busyness for purpose, and productivity for clarity.
The "Busy But Lost" Problem
Here's what I see happening with smart, capable people who feel stuck despite their success:
- They're running someone else's playbook. "Lydia" was still operating her business like a corporate job—8 hours at a computer, rigid schedules, treating any non-work time as "unproductive." But whether you're building a business or advancing in your career, this rigid approach kills creativity and joy.
- They've lost touch with their "why." What started as a passion project 10 years ago had become routine. "Lydia" was running events the same way she always had, even though she'd grown and her market had evolved. Sound familiar if you've been in the same role or industry for years?
- They're serving the wrong people. The networking events felt like work because the people there weren't "her people." Whether you're dealing with clients, colleagues, or a boss, being around the wrong people is exhausting.
- They can't trust their own judgment. Without clarity on what they actually wanted, every decision felt overwhelming. Should she do more events? Fewer events? Different events? In any career, the options can feel endless and paralyzing when you've lost your North Star.
What Actually Happens When You Get Clear
The most fulfilled people I know—whether they're entrepreneurs, executives, or creatives—didn't stumble into clarity. They actively designed it.
They stopped asking "What should I do?" and started asking, "Who do I want to be?"
Here's what changes when you get intentional about your direction:
You become selective. Instead of saying yes to every opportunity, you have criteria for what aligns with your vision. This makes decisions easier, not harder.
You work with conviction. When you believe deeply in what you're creating—whether it's a business, a project, or your role within an organization—the work becomes meaningful instead of just busy. Your passion becomes contagious to others.
You attract your ideal people. Clear positioning acts like a magnet for the right people and a filter against the wrong ones. This works whether you're attracting clients, colleagues, or collaborators.
You enjoy the process. Work doesn't have to feel like drudgery. When your career reflects who you are and what you care about, it becomes a source of energy rather than a drain.
The Clarity Framework
Here's how to break free from busy-but-lost syndrome:
Step 1: Design Your Ideal Experience
Stop thinking like you're supposed to fit into someone else's definition of success. Imagine you're the person being served by your work—whether that's a client, colleague, or even yourself.
Who are you? What do you desperately want? What would make you feel truly seen and served?
"Lydia" realized her ideal client (herself!) wanted deeper connections through art—not just wine and networking, but meaningful experiences that were both calming and transformative. If you're in corporate, maybe your "client" is your team, and they want clear communication and genuine support.
The magic happens when you design for people you'd genuinely want to spend time with.
Step 2: Feel Your Way to Decisions
Your rational mind can analyze pros and cons all day, but clarity often comes through your body, not your brain.
👉 Try this: When facing a decision, find something beautiful to look at. Notice the feeling of expansion or joy in your chest. That's your internal compass.
Now think about your decision options. Which one creates that same feeling of expansion? Which one makes you contract or feel heavy?
Step 3: Run Small Experiments
Instead of overhauling your entire career, design contained experiments that let you test new directions.
"Lydia" and I brainstormed a series of "campfire conversations"—intimate events that combined art, nature elements, and deeper dialogue. Not a business pivot, just an experiment to see what resonated.
If you're in a traditional job, maybe you propose leading one project differently, or offer to facilitate a team meeting in a new way.
You don't need to burn everything down. You need to build something you actually believe in alongside what you're already doing.
Step 4: Stop Counting Hours, Start Counting Impact
The corporate metric of "time spent working" doesn't actually measure what matters. Some of your best ideas will come while walking in nature, having coffee with a colleague, or visiting galleries.
👉 Ask yourself: "Am I moving toward something I believe in?" instead of "Am I being productive?"'
Step 5: Get Comfortable with Disappointing the Wrong People
This is the hardest part: some people in your current orbit won't like your new direction.
When you stand for something specific, you'll naturally repel people who aren't aligned. This feels scary when you're worried about your reputation or relationships, but it's the only way to attract people who energize you.
This Week's Experiment
Pick one small way to test a new direction:
- Identify one aspect of your work that genuinely excites you. What part of your business do you actually enjoy?
- Design a mini-experiment around it. Could you create one event, workshop, or offering that leans into what excites you?
- Put it out there. Don't wait for it to be perfect. Share it as an experiment and see who responds.
- Pay attention to the response. Both from your audience and from yourself. Do you feel more alive talking about this than your usual offerings?
- Notice your resistance. What stories does your brain tell you about why this won't work? Those stories are usually fear, not facts.
👉 What part of your current business genuinely excites you? What would you create if you knew the right people would show up?
Remember, clarity isn't something you find—it's something you create, one small experiment at a time.
x Claire
👯
No July Meetup
UPDATE COMING
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7-Day Progress Plan
Putting advice into action.
Day 1: Audit Your Excitement Level (15 min)
List everything you did for work last week. Rate each activity 1-10 on how energized vs. drained you felt doing it. What patterns do you notice?
Day 2: Design Your Dream Client (20 min)
Forget your current clients or employer. If you could serve anyone, who would it be? What would they desperately want that you'd be excited to provide?
Day 3: Practice Body-Based Decision Making (10 min)
Find something beautiful and notice the feeling of expansion. Now think about a current business decision using this feeling as your guide.
Day 4: Identify Your Core Excitement (15 min)
What aspect of your work makes you lose track of time? What do people always ask you about? Where do you naturally have strong opinions?
Day 5: Design One Small Experiment (30 min)
Based on your excitement audit, create one small offering that leans into what energizes you. Make it time-bound and specific.
Day 6: Share Your Experiment (20 min)
Put your experiment out there. Notice your resistance and do it anyway. Pay attention to who responds and how you feel talking about it.
Day 7: Reflect on Alignment (15 min)
Compare how you felt this week vs. last week. What felt different when you focused on excitement rather than obligation?