I have a colleague who is also on the journey to becoming a certified coach—he always says, “Trust the process.”

Yesterday, in our Next Generation Leader Program – Module 2, we listened to a leader share his journey. He holds a high position, and what impressed me most was the time he has spent with our organization —40 years, an entire lifetime.

At the end of his session, he shared one key insight. He said it wasn’t advice, but rather something he had learned from experience:

He never planned his career, but he always believed that if you perform at your best, focus on developing yourself, have the support of good managers, and trust the process, you will land somewhere.

At the time, I didn’t ask any questions because I needed time to process and reflect. But if I could ask him one thing, I would ask about this last thought:

• Good performance.
• Develop yourself.
• Good managers.
• Trust the process.

If a career is like a puzzle, what happens if we’re missing a piece above?

Trusting The Process

This last message resonated with me deeply because it reflects my own experience. If you had asked me years ago about my career plan, I would have confidently said, “Becoming a manager.” I thought that was the goal I needed to reach. And I did. I was a manager. If I apply the same thinking to my current organization, I would say my next step is to become a Business Development Manager.

But the great thing about our organization is that it offers a variety of roles to explore. While vertical growth—such as moving from Business Developer to Business Development Manager—is a common path, it’s not the only path from my perspective.

At times, I’ve wondered if not having a clear career plan is a disadvantage, especially compared to others. But after listening to the leader, I know I’m on the right track:

• I consistently deliver good performance and always do my best.
• I have a passion for developing myself and others.
• I have the support of great managers around me.

With these in place, I trust that I will land somewhere meaningful.

Trusting the process isn’t always easy—it can be challenging and even painful at times. Some people reach their destination quickly, while others take longer.

For me, I don’t have a fixed place where I must land. I only know that I don’t want to stay in my current place forever. Instead of remaining in my comfort zone, I am preparing for departure. I have different options and destinations to explore, and when the time is right, I will take the right flight.

And that is enough.

Thank you.