How to Figure Out What’s Important to You

Self Awareness

16 Oct

How to Figure Out What’s Important to You

by Kate Maxwell

Feeling lost about what really matters to you at work or in life?

In this episode, I share how to spot the clues hidden in your frustrations, the causes you care about, and the ways you love to work.

Perfect if you’re on the cusp of a career change and want to reconnect with your drivers!

SPOTIFY | APPLE

Timestamps

01:01 – Why your frustration is actually a clue

03:23 – The link between impact, causes, and career choice

06:59 – What your ideal “ways of working” reveal about your next step

09:41 – Pulling it all together: your career formula

If you’re ready to work this out for yourself, click here for my services.

Full Transcript

So how do you figure out what’s really important to you?

It’s a huge question, and it can feel completely paralyzing when you’re switching up your career or when you know that the job you’re in now just isn’t a fit anymore. You start to wonder — okay, if it’s not this, then what is it instead?

Because I thought it was going to be this, and then it didn’t work out. So you kind of lose trust in your own judgment and your ability to know what’s really important.

But underneath all of this, there are clues absolutely everywhere about what’s important to us.

In this episode, I want to share three steps to start thinking about what’s important to you — especially with a career change in mind.

I’m your host, Kate Maxwell. I’m an expert at coaching media and tech pros wanting to choose a new career direction. This show exists to give you that extra support as you take the leap — with pep talks, tools, and techniques. This is Blueprints to Becoming.

1. Follow Your Frustration

The first of my three tips for finding out what’s really important to you is — and I know we harp on about it — your values.

It is, it is, it is.

But I wanted to come at it from a different angle today because it can be so boring to keep talking about what you value and what your values are.

And if you’re in corporate, you might also get the ick when thinking about values — because the corporate world loves its corporate values that may or may not mean anything.

So today I want to suggest a different in for thinking about your values, and therefore what’s important to you.

Think about the last time you were really pissed off.

Think about when you’ve felt frustrated, angry, trapped, stuck, or disrespected.
What was going on?

And I don’t just mean the drama of it all — but really understanding what you were experiencing in those moments of anger or frustration.
Which of your values wasn’t being met?

That’s going to help you see what’s really important — and at the same time, see what’s missing.

If you can think of a recent moment, even better.

For me, when I think back to my corporate days — the last pivot I did — a time when I felt really angry and frustrated was around having my work micromanaged, communication being hazy, all of that.

And it made me really appreciate how important autonomy is to me, and also how important collaboration and connection are.

For me, those things are about clarity of communication and knowing where I stand — and coaching is such a perfect role because it’s all about communication. It’s about connecting and having real clarity between me and my clients.

“Look at points of contention and conflict — those moments reveal what matters most.”

So look at those points of contention and conflict. Those moments can reveal what’s important to you.

2. Think About the Impact You Want to Make

My second tip: think about the impact you want to make — and the causes you care about.

Often, when we talk about impact, we think about the ripple effect beyond our immediate circle or community (although that’s a great place to start — chef’s kiss).

But we can take our dreams beyond that.
What’s the wider impact you want to have?
What kind of ambition do you have for your career to make waves — in society, in the world, on the planet?

And this wraps into the idea of causes.

What causes are really dear to your heart?
What issues do you feel strongly about?

These can reveal your moral and social values — the things that inform your choices and what will feel right for you in your next step or career direction.

It might be that the job you’re in now isn’t aligning with that sense of impact or cause.

Having said that, the causes you care about don’t have to dictate the job you take or your career.

You can care deeply and passionately about something without it being the way you earn money.

For example, I care deeply about period poverty. I don’t work in that space. I don’t work in the charitable sector. But when I’m able to donate to people who do, you bet I’m doing that — because that’s important to me.

You see what I’m saying?

You don’t have to find a job that impacts all of the causes you care about.
We’re looking for the just enough version — something that ticks at least one of these boxes in enough of a way that it feels right for you in your core.

For me, something I’m really passionate about in terms of impact is helping people move beyond imagined duty-bound feelings.

People who are over-responsible, who crush themselves in the name of others and limit their career choices because of it.

Being able to support people to address that and progress through it is so special to me.

I can see the ripple effect — when one person changes, their friends and family feel it too.
People tell me after we’ve worked together that their friends say they’re a different person.

And you just know that working with one person and helping them change their life will change the lives of others.

“Working with one person and helping them change will change the lives of others — and that, for me, is just fucking great.”

That’s the impact that fuels me.

3. Understand Your Ways of Working

This third and final one ties everything together — your ways of working.

Before I dive in, a quick note: if you feel like you don’t know what’s important to you anymore and you want support unpacking that, my 1:1 intensive Charted is made for that.

Charted helps media and tech pros find a clear sense of direction in a turbulent world — so you can take back control of your career and find work where you truly belong.

Inside Charted, you’ll figure out what matters most to you and uncover a career direction that feels energising and built to last — in just six weeks.
Sounds short, but you wouldn’t believe what we can do.

If you’re interested, check the episode description for details.

Now, back to it.

When you’re thinking about what’s important to you, it’s not just what you do — it’s how you like to work.

Think about the environment, the pace, the people, the structures.
What are the tangible things that make you feel your best?

For example, I loved working in an office — being around people, the pace of it.
That mattered to me.

Maybe for you, it’s space and solitude. Maybe you want minimal interactions with people. Maybe you need to leave the house. Maybe you don’t.

Maybe you thrive on fast pace. Maybe slow pace.

Do you see what I’m getting at?

“We’re not trying to tick every box — just understand the shape of things so you can find what fits.”

Try to get clear on the ways of working that are most energising for you.
Which ways of working bring out your best?

When you put all of that together — your values, your impact, and your ways of working — you’re really building a formula for a career that fits you.

We’re not looking to tick every single box.
We just want to understand the shape of things — so you can recognise which opportunities will fit, and know what to look for in the first place.

Wrapping Up

Okay, fab. I’ve really enjoyed this episode.
I love talking about all of these topics — as I’m sure you can tell.

Remember, I’m available to support you in this exploration. Head to the episode description for more on Charted, and you can also grab my free Decision-Making Guide if that’s something useful for you right now.

Next time, I’ll be sharing how to feel cozy and at peace while making a big change — another delicious and quite autumnal episode, I think. Very seasonal vibes.

Thank you so much for tuning in — it’s been an absolute pleasure.
I’m in your corner. You’ve got this. 💙

* This blog post was co-created with AI, using my transcript. My aim is for the blog to be as verbatim as possible, so you’re in contact with me not the robots! Using AI means the blog can exist in the first place so it’s a use that works for me right now!

Any thoughts, let me know!