“It’s almost like God said, okay, I’ve given you opportunities to make a different choice, but you won’t. So let me help you.”
— Havilah Malone

Welcome back to the Steve Show! We talk a lot about ‘choosing your life’ on this program – but what happens when life unexpectedly chooses a new path FOR you? Today my guest Havilah Malone shares how a painful layoff served as a catalyst toward an incredible life and career. Whether you’re struggling with job loss or are collecting up the courage to walk away from your current career, her tips are going to inspire you into action!

Tip 1: Redefine ‘Success’
To anyone’s standards, Havilah was the picture of success. She graduated college at 19 and immediately jumped into the workforce, representing Hewlett Packard on major networks like HSN and QVC. Despite these achievements, Havilah felt like she was dying inside. In her own words, “I had this plan and I was following this plan, but it was a plan that everybody else gave me. It was the life that was designed for me and I walked it very well…but I wasn’t happy.”

Still, when Havilah got the pink slip, she saw the loss of her esteemed position as a deviation from success. But soon she realized that the key to ‘leveling up’ after job loss is to redefine success for yourself – and include your own happiness in that definition moving forward!

Tip 2: Rediscover Yourself
Staying in a job that makes you unhappy requires you to ignore your own passions and aspirations – and over time, it’s easy to forget what you really want. When Havila lost her job she had to ask herself, “Who am I without this title or these things? What does Havilah want?”

She encourages anyone facing career changes to set aside time for mindful self discovery before rushing into that next job. Investing in your own personal development during a transition enables you to make new choices from a place of confidence. Get to know YOU so that you can follow your OWN guidance system – not anyone else’s.

Tip 3: Recognize The Blessing
Walking away from a secure job is painful, even if you weren’t happy in your position. It’s even harder to feel gratitude for the difficult situation when you haven’t gotten past it enough to have fond hindsight. However, Havila knows from experience what a blessing job loss can be.

She acknowledges that without that catalyst, she would have remained in her life-draining career until she died. Without that pink slip, she never would have been pushed to rediscover her passions or become a bestselling author and international motivational speaker. The key, she says, is to stay focused on the infinite opportunities that such an experience is offering you. Have peace knowing that before long, you’ll see that ‘painful’ career change for what it is…a blessing in disguise!

Have you been grappling with the idea of a big career change? Has Havilah’s story inspired you to choose your life…before it chooses for you? We would love to hear you share your big hurdles and even bigger aspirations in the comments below. We’re here to answer your questions and give you support, so don’t be shy!

As always, until we meet again…

Choose Gratitude Create Freedom

Steve Napolitan