Hey GenXer. You’re ready to ditch the slog of corporate. But the next move? Total mystery. So you make deals with yourself: once the idea lands, you’ll get out of there. And then you wait.
But ideas don’t chase you down at your desk. They meet you out in the world, when you’re in motion.
If you’ve been hoping for a plan to appear, consider this your invitation to take action instead. Not with certainty, but with a willingness to try something, even when it doesn’t obviously lead to anything yet.
Let’s talk about how to explore what’s next when you don’t have a clear direction, and how to spot the signals that something might be worth following.
Waiting for Perfect Will Keep You Stuck
Analysis paralysis is a common state for GenXers who want to get out but have no plan. The comfort of a paycheck can blot out the reality that you’re in an unstable job in an unstable industry.
Clarity about the next thing will be an outcome – it isn’t a prerequisite. You probably have lots of half-baked ideas floating around. What you’re missing is feedback that tells you whether it’s worth pursuing.
The way forward comes from doing things, not just thinking about them. And that’s where experiments come in.
Burnout Can Cloud the Data
When you’re burned out, it takes more energy to try something new. And if your current job is draining you, it’s easy to opt out of the very things that might help you feel alive again. That guarantees you stay right where you are.
The goal here is to reawaken your curiosity, which is the most important tool in your toolbox for building the next thing.
So plan your experiments with care. Don’t try to cram them into the middle of a busy work day. Leave work an hour early. Block off a weekend afternoon. Try something on a holiday or during a vacation.
Once you’re there, pay attention. You’ll learn what gives you energy, what tires you, and what sparks something. That feedback is gold. It shows you what’s worth exploring further, and what you’re ready to leave behind.
Start Small: Solo Experiments
If you don’t want to tip off your current employer, you can stay under the radar while you conduct these experiments. The easiest first move is something that helps you reflect inward, without needing to explain yourself to anyone.
Here are some things you can try by yourself:
- Take an odd class, like mushroom foraging or lockpicking.
- Learn a new musical instrument, craft, or other creative pursuit.
- Volunteer for an event or food bank where you can follow and observe more than lead.
You don’t have to explain your experiments to your boss or your colleagues. To them, you might just have a new obligation on Tuesdays at 4. But you’re doing identity research.
Let yourself get weird. The more offbeat the experiment, the more likely it is to show you something real.
And hey – if you want some support on this, it’s part of what I help clients create in my Reinvention Partnership Program.
Amp it up: Bring a Friend
Once you get the hang of solo experiments, it’s time for the next level.
Bringing a friend on these adventures makes you more accountable to the experiment and increases your bravery for the follow-through. Here are some ideas you can try with a co-conspirator:
- Take an in-person creative class together, like pottery or improv.
- Attend an Ignite or TEDx event with multiple speakers on a variety of topics.
- Join a hiking group, a climbing gym, or another active endeavor.
Make sure you debrief together after you both try that new thing. What did you learn? What’s worth doing again? What felt scary but fun?
I’ve talked to lots of people whose next move started as a chat in a bar. Or a random class they found on an event website. Or an invitation they were only 30% sure they’d enjoy.
Case Study: Immersive Theater to Coaching
Before I even left my consulting job, I got curious about experiential marketing. This was back when big brands designed inventive ways to have a more direct relationship with their customers. I wondered if this type of marketing could help my company, and soon pivoted to wondering if it could mean something for me.
I started following the designers and creators, and found that experiential marketing flows pretty fast into immersive theater. These are shows where the audience participates or moves through a space. No stage, no chairs. I went to a lot of shows.
Over time, the shows I preferred to see got smaller and more intimate. Eventually, I was flying to other cities to attend performances where I was the only audience member. These were profound and memorable evenings.
And I realized: this was what I wanted. I wanted high-stakes, generative, emotionally rich experiences with one person at a time. That discovery didn’t come from a strategic planning session. It came from following what felt interesting and noticing what stuck.
The further you get from your job title, the closer you might get to yourself.
Don’t Judge the Data Too Early
Not every experiment needs to lead somewhere. Some will flop or feel awkward. That’s great! Your strong emotional reactions are bits of high-quality data. Keep a log of what you try, how it felt during and after, and what surprised you.
I recall some shows that I hated in the moment, but then thought about for weeks afterward.
Eventually, you’ll see the patterns. What bores you. What wakes you up. What calls you back. You’ll get more specific about what you like and what feels bad. It might not even be about the subject itself.
- You like being part of a group where everyone is working on the same project.
- You don’t like being singled out of an audience.
- You like creating something that you can finish within 2 hours.
- You don’t like sharing a workbench.
Every time you record your reactions to an experience, you establish criteria. And whatever is next is likely to be a combination of different aspects of what you try.
Curiosity Over Credentials
Once you start noticing these patterns, it’s tempting to optimize too early. But don’t let your résumé run the show just yet. You might assume you should try something logical, like shadowing a consultant or interviewing a franchise owner. And maybe you will, eventually. But the best experiments are unrelated to your work history or your current skills.
This isn’t about matching your abilities to a job description. It’s about increasing the number of experiences you’re having so you can feel what each one is like. Because every one of them teaches you something about yourself.
Some of my clients resist this at first. They’re so good at thinking their way to answers. But the biggest shifts come from exposure to newness.
You’re wired to seek novel experiences, and that wiring gets worn down by the daily routine of office life. New TV shows and restaurants don’t quite scratch the itch. Neither does your imploding work project or your college kid in a meltdown.
None of that is about you. What is the novelty that you can generate and learn from?
Final Take: Time to Make a Move
Your next idea isn’t hiding inside your head. It’s waiting for you to bump into it.
So stop staring at the sky; go dig in the dirt. Say yes to weird stuff. Follow your feelings and trust your intuition.
Remember: you are the research project, and research feeds on data.
Burn the map. Build what fits.
