If You Feel Lost in Your Career, Listen to This - Almost 30 Recap

Podcast: Almost 30

Published: 2026-01-20

Duration: 1 hr 35 min

Guests: Ashley Stahl

Summary

This episode addresses the anxiety and confusion many face in their careers and provides guidance on finding purpose and direction. It features Ashley Stahl, who shares insights on understanding one's gifts and crafting a fulfilling career path.

What Happened

Lindsay and Krista kick off the episode discussing the overwhelming anxiety many people feel in their careers, often stemming from a lack of communication and self-awareness. They introduce Ashley Stahl, a career expert and popular TED speaker, who joins the conversation to provide insights on finding purpose and direction in one's professional life.

Ashley emphasizes that while 'following your passion' became a popular mantra in the 80s, it often leads people astray. Instead, she advises listeners to focus on doing what aligns with their natural gifts and talents. She introduces the concept of 'U-turns' - a return to one's true self - as a way to navigate career transitions.

The discussion touches on the importance of knowing one's story and using it as a foundation for career decisions. Ashley shares practical exercises, like writing down ten defining moments of your life, to help identify personal and professional strengths.

Ashley also talks about the significance of core values in career choices. Rather than aspirational values, she advises focusing on values one truly lives by, which can serve as a filter for making career decisions.

The conversation shifts to the idea of career experiments, encouraging listeners to treat their careers as ongoing experiments that evolve over time. Ashley stresses the importance of being open to trial and error and using side hustles as a way to explore different paths.

Ashley wraps up by discussing the role of storytelling in professional settings, such as job interviews and networking, and the need to articulate one's story clearly and confidently. She provides specific strategies for crafting an elevator pitch and using personal stories to engage an audience.

The episode concludes with a reminder that career paths are not linear and finding a fulfilling career is an ongoing journey of self-discovery and adaptation.

Key Insights