You did everything “right.”
You chose a major. You completed internships. You sought mentors. You landed a job. You worked hard, stayed late, learned the ropes, and built a résumé that actually looks respectable. And now, ten years in, you find yourself asking a quiet but persistent question:
Did I pick the right career?
This question isn’t a sign of failure. In fact, it’s often a sign of maturity.
The first decade of a career is largely about proving you can do the work. You learn how organizations function, how to work with people, how to handle pressure, and how to deliver results. But around the ten-year mark, the questions tend to shift. It’s no longer just Can I do this? But Should I keep doing this?
So how should you assess how you’ve done so far?
Start by separating performance from fulfillment. You may be doing well – promotions, raises, respect – yet feel oddly restless or disengaged. Or you may feel deeply satisfied by the work but frustrated by pace, compensation, or structure. Those distinctions matter. Many people abandon good paths not because the work is wrong, but because the environment is.
Next, examine what has changed in you. The person who chose a career at 18 or 22 did so with limited information and limited life experience. That’s not a flaw; it’s reality. Ten years later, you know more about your strengths, your limits, your values, and what drains or energizes you. A career that once fit may now feel tight, not because it was a mistake, but because you’ve grown.
Another helpful lens is trajectory. Don’t just ask where you are; ask where this path realistically leads. Do you respect the people ten or twenty years ahead of you in this field? Does their life, professionally and personally, appeal to you? If the honest answer is no, that doesn’t mean you must leave immediately, but it does mean you should pay attention.
So how do you know whether to stay or pivot?
A pivot doesn’t always mean a complete restart. Sometimes it’s a shift in role, industry, specialization, or context. Other times, it is a decisive change. The key question isn’t Am I afraid to leave? but Am I being honest about what this path is forming me into?
Finally, remember this: a “lifetime career” is less about choosing the perfect path and more about ongoing alignment between your gifts, your values, and the needs around you. Careers are rarely straight lines. They are stories, written one chapter at a time.
Whether you are ten years in or several decades down the road, reflection is not a setback. It is often the doorway to wiser, more intentional work.
And that’s always a good place to begin.