Ever found yourself staring out the window of your corner office (or, let’s be real, hunched over your kitchen table at 9pm on another pointless Teams call) thinking: how the faark did I get here?
So many “successful” midlifers look at their lives, the title, the salary, the badge on LinkedIn, and quietly wonder: Whose dream am I actually living? What happened to those big ideas you had when you started out? Was this ever the plan, or did you just wake up one day at the top of a ladder you never meant to climb?
Ladders Come With Snakes (That's Just How the Game Is Played)
Let’s not sugar-coat it: the high-flying job comes with a price tag. Yes, you get the pay cheque, the medical benefits, and free biscuits in the break room. But you also inherit office politics, passive-aggressive Slack messages, 8pm ‘quick catch-ups’, and targets that make you question your sanity and your soul.
The world applauds your “success” while, inside, you’re wondering if you missed a memo about how fulfilment is supposed to feel.
Sometimes the universe steps in layoff, restructure, hissy fit at an all-hands or it’s just that quiet, relentless itch: Is this it?
“Nothing makes you re-evaluate life faster than redundancy or the sudden realisation that nobody actually dies if you skip one more meeting.”
But the Game Hasn’t Been in Vain
Here’s the twist: every rung on that ladder has gifted you with more than just questionable business jargon.
You didn’t “waste” your best years. You collected skills actual, marketable, survival-of-the-fittest skills:
Leadership
Communication
Negotiation
Project management (coordinating chaos like a ninja)
Crisis navigation (remember that time your project ‘pivoted’ overnight?)
These are the keys you can use to unlock your next chapter.
Try This…
Write down every skill and lesson you’ve picked up even the ones you think are “nothing special”. You’ll be surprised how much corporate magic you’ve actually mastered. Want extra credit? Ask a brutally honest friend what your real superpower is.
New Ladder, New Game (Same Skills)
Here’s the plot twist nobody tells you: the accidental careerist has never had more options. The solo economy, freelancers, consultants, micro-businesses is booming. Your skills aren’t stuck in your old job; they’re the launchpad for whatever’s next.
It all starts with a self-inventory. What do you bring to the table (apart from snacks at the all-hands)? Which hard-won lessons and professional “baggage” make you invaluable to people outside the corporate bunker?
"The stuff you call baggage? Out here, that’s your secret weapon."
You don’t need to leap off the ladder blindfolded. Test your new direction: run a workshop for beginners, coach a peer, take on a small consulting project, or try your hand at freelancing. Don’t forget to tap into online communities (yes, even LinkedIn!) to swap stories and make connections.
But the real game-changer? Shifting your mindset. No more waiting for a “well done” from management. Now, you define your success by impact, freedom, and meaning on your terms.
Try This…
Pilot your “escape plan” with something small and real. Lead a session, help a local non-profit, or solve a business headache for a mate. (Bonus: if it lights you up, you’re on the right track.) Let me know how it goes hit reply or share your story on socials!
Conclusion: The Ladder Wasn’t a Waste; It Was Bootcamp
If you’ve ever looked at your CV and thought, What was the point?, stop. Every misstep, every “what am I doing here?” moment, every outgrown job title they’ve made you sharper, tougher, and more interesting than you think.
You have a toolkit built in the chaos of real work. And, right now, that’s exactly what the solo economy and the world needs.
“It’s not about climbing the highest ladder. It’s about building one that leads somewhere you actually want to go.”
So, ask yourself: now that you know what you’re capable of and what you actually want where will you go next? And this time, whose ladder is it, really?
Try This…
Take ten minutes: sketch your own ladder (literal or metaphorical). Which milestones matter now? Which are you happy to let go of? Share your ladder with me, or with someone who needs a nudge.
You’re not too late. In fact, you’re just getting started
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Yup you in capsulate corporate life immensely. This was fantastic! As a girl who works in a corporate I really relate to this piece.
I would like to start a correspondence with you. Talk about our writing and other things regarding life in general. Subscribe, for I have done the same. I imagine our bonded will power with these exercises will bear much fruit. Will be trying to read your posted ouvere here on Substack, this morning! I'll be in touch.
Looking forward.