🧭 Pivoting Without Losing Your True North
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned, both in my career and personal life, is that sometimes the path we thought we’d take isn’t the one we end up walking.
The ability to pivot isn’t a sign of failure or weakness. It’s a sign of awareness, courage, and trust in yourself.
For years, I clung to the belief that success meant picking a path and sticking to it no matter what. That staying the course was the only way to “win.” But life has a way of showing us that adaptability is just as important as perseverance.
📍 My Compass Moment: The Job Change
If you’ve read my post on Trusting the Compass, you know this story.
My company was moving their headquarters to New Jersey. On paper, the “safe” decision was obvious. Accept the relocation package, keep the stability of my role, and continue on the path I was already on.
But my heart was here. My life was here. My people, my volleyball community, more sunny days, and the sense of home I had worked hard to build.
I could play it safe, or I could take a risk.
I followed my gut. I trusted the foundation I had built: my skills, my work ethic, my marketability. I put in the effort and ended up exactly where I was meant to be.
That’s the thing about pivoting, it’s not abandoning your goal. It’s adjusting the path while keeping your destination in mind.
💔 The Relationship Crossroads
The same is true in personal relationships.
There are moments where things feel stuck or tense, and it’s tempting to react quickly—either by checking out emotionally or walking away entirely.
This is where a “pivot framework” comes in handy. When you hit those tough points, step back and ask:
- What was my original goal or expectation?
- Are my morals, values, and needs still aligned here?
- Is the difficulty we’re facing a temporary obstacle we can work through, or a fundamental difference in direction?
Sometimes the answer is to persevere and work through it. Sometimes it’s to move forward separately. Either way, you’re making a conscious choice that aligns with your true north.
🛠 A Framework for Pivot vs. Persevere
When deciding whether to pivot or push through, I use these five steps:
- Revisit Your Why
Why did you start this job, relationship, or goal in the first place? Does that still hold true? - Assess the Current Landscape
What’s changed? Are these changes within your control? - Evaluate Alignment
Do your morals, values, and long-term vision still match the path you’re on? - Consider the Cost of Staying vs. Changing
What will it cost…emotionally, mentally, financially; to keep going as is? What would it cost to pivot? - Decide with Intention
Whatever you choose, own it fully. Move forward with purpose, not regret.
🌱 Letting Go of Perfection
One of the most freeing realizations in my life has been letting go of the idea that a pivot means starting over.
Adjusting your goals doesn’t erase the progress you’ve made, it builds on it. Every step, even the detours, has something to teach you.
When we stop clinging to the need to get it “perfect,” we give ourselves space to grow, to adapt, and to discover opportunities we might have missed otherwise.
✨ Final Thought
Whether you’re at a career crossroads, in a relationship shift, or reevaluating personal goals, remember this:
Your destination may stay the same, but the road there will almost always have turns you didn’t expect.
The power of the pivot is knowing when to change direction without losing sight of who you are and what matters most.
Authentic Evolution Journey 