Curiosity is something we're all born with as humans. Most of us come into this world with an immense amount of curiosity. If you ever watch young children around a new set of toys, they'll excitedly try them all out. Similarly, during the early stages of our careers, we're thirsty to explore, absorb, and learn as much as we can on the job.
However, over time, that curiosity can get dampened and even shut down as a result of work pressures, life realities, or societal expectations around how we should be spending our professional time. Keeping your curiosity alive is one way to open new doors throughout your career.
In episode 104 of the Career Relaunch® podcast, Laura McIntyre, a professional opera singer turned business change consultant at Deloitte, describes her journey of going from the world of performing arts to the corporate world of management consulting. She explains why she decided to walk away from singing, how she managed her transition while making ends meet, and what steps she took to eventually land her job at one of the world's leading professional services firms.
After our chat, I'll also share some thoughts on the importance of remaining curious in your career during the Mental Fuel® segment.
Key Career Change Insights
* Sometimes, your career puts immense amounts of pressure on you in ways you don't fully register until you hit an emotional or physical limit. When you cross that threshold, you owe it to yourself to recalibrate and reassess where to take your career.
* Transitions are inevitably messy, often resulting in rejection and setbacks that may lead you to question your original decision to leave your former career behind. Understand that transitions take time, and the ups and downs are par for the course.
* With enough dedication, exploration, and proactive connection-building, you can increase your chances of eventually identifying and landing a role that better aligns with your interests, skills, and lifestyle.
Resources Mentioned
* Read this
CareerShifters article featuring an interview with Laura where she describes her career journey in more detail.
* During the Mental Fuel® segment, I referred to Ethan Mollick's book
Co-Intelligence which radically reshaped my views on AI's role in our work.
Listener Challenge
During this episode's Mental Fuel® segment, I talked about dedicating a few minutes this week to just learning something entirely new that you find intriguing right now. You could explore an emerging technology affecting your industry. Or learn more about a skill that someone you admire possesses. Or listen to a podcast episode about a topic that you’re curious about.
What step will you take to channel your curiosity in your career?
Episode Chapters
00:00:00 Overview
00:01:07 Introduction
00:03:18 Chat with Laura
00:44:27 Mental Fuel
00:50:54 Listener Challenge
00:51:49 Wrap Up
About Laura McIntyre
Laura McIntyre is a business transformation consultant at Deloitte focused on connecting people with solutions and empowering them to achieve their personal and professional aspirations. Originally from Lithuania, Laura began her career as a professional opera singer performing in the UK, France, and other European countries.
In her spare time, Laura enjoys horseback riding and working out at the gym.
