Read Work Rewired free: the opening pages

Part 1: Know Yourself, Laying the Foundation

Uncovering Your Core Values

Let’s be honest. You’re reading this because something feels…off. Maybe it’s a low-grade dissatisfaction that’s been simmering for years, or perhaps it’s a recent burnout that’s forced you to confront the reality that your current career isn't sustainable. You’re likely past the point of chasing a paycheck and are starting to ask bigger questions about what truly matters. You’re not alone. Many people reach this point around the thirty to fifty-five mark, a time when accumulated experience meets a growing desire for something more meaningful. This isn’t a midlife crisis; it’s an invitation to build a career aligned with who you are now, not who you thought you should be.

This section is about establishing a foundation for that alignment. We'll start with your values, because they are the compass guiding you toward fulfilling work. Ignoring them is like trying to build a house on shifting sand, eventually, things will crumble. Identifying your core values will give you a filter for evaluating potential career paths and making decisions that feel genuinely right.

Why Values Matter in Career Change

Your values represent your deepest beliefs about what’s important in life. They influence your choices, shape your priorities, and drive your sense of satisfaction. When your work aligns with your values, it feels less like a job and more like a meaningful contribution. Conversely, when there’s a mismatch, you’ll likely experience stress, frustration, and ultimately, burnout.

Think of it like this: if ‘creativity’ is a core value, working in a highly structured, repetitive role will likely leave you feeling depleted. If ‘helping others’ is paramount, a purely profit-driven position might feel morally compromising. Understanding these connections is crucial before you invest time and energy into a new direction.

The Values Card Sort Exercise

This is a hands-on exercise to help you identify your core values. It’s best done when you have about an hour of uninterrupted time and can be truly honest with yourself.

What you’ll need:

• A list of values (see the list below). You can copy and paste this into a document or write it out on individual cards.
• Space to sort the cards.
• Optional: A friend or family member to discuss your choices with (but ultimately, your values are what matter).

Values List:

Accountability, Achievement, Adventure, Authenticity, Autonomy, Balance, Beauty, Community, Compassion, Creativity, Curiosity, Diversity, Education, Efficiency, Fairness, Family, Financial Security, Freedom, Growth, Honesty, Humor, Impact, Independence, Innovation, Integrity, Justice, Kindness, Leadership, Learning, Loyalty, Meaning, Openness, Optimism, Passion, Recognition, Relationships, Respect, Responsibility, Security, Spirituality, Stability, Teamwork, Tradition, Trust, Wisdom. (Feel free to add or remove values that resonate or don’t resonate with you).

Steps:

1. Initial Sort: Read through the entire list. Quickly separate the cards into three piles: “Definitely Important,” “Maybe Important,” and “Not Important.” Don’t overthink it at this stage; go with your gut reaction.
2. Refine “Definitely Important”: Take the “Definitely Important” pile and begin to rank the values from most to least important. This is where it gets trickier. You’ll likely find some values are very close in importance. Try to narrow it down, forcing yourself to make choices. Aim to get this pile down to around 10-12 values.
3. The Final Cut: From the refined “Definitely Important” pile, select your top 5-7 core values. These are the principles that guide your life, even if you aren't consciously aware of them. This is the hardest part. Ask yourself: if you had to choose between these values in a difficult situation, which would you prioritize?
4. Define Your Values: For each of your top 5-7 values, write a short definition of what that value means to you. This is important because values can be interpreted differently. For example, ‘Creativity’ might mean artistic expression for one person, while for another, it might mean innovative problem-solving.

Example:

Let's say you've identified these as your top 5 values:

• Impact: Making a positive difference in the world.
• Autonomy: Having control over your work and schedule.
• Learning: Continuously growing and expanding your knowledge.
• Relationships: Building strong connections with others.
• Integrity: Being honest and ethical in all your dealings.

Now, write a sentence or two defining each one for you:

• Impact: "I want to use my skills to contribute to something larger than myself, ideally helping to solve a problem that benefits others."
• Autonomy: "I thrive when I have the freedom to manage my own time and approach tasks in a way that feels most effective for me."
• Learning: "I'm energized by acquiring new knowledge and skills, and I want a career that allows me to constantly challenge myself."
• Relationships: "I value collaboration and building genuine connections with colleagues and clients."
• Integrity: "I need to work in an environment where honesty and ethical behavior are prioritized above all else."

Action step: Complete the Values Card Sort Exercise. Don’t skip this. It’s the foundation for everything else.

Values-Based Career Satisfaction Assessment

Now that you've identified your core values, let’s assess how well your current (or most recent) role aligns with them. This will highlight areas of fulfillment and, more importantly, areas of misalignment.

Instructions:

1. List Your Values: Write down your top 5-7 core values (from the previous exercise).

2. Rate Alignment: For each value, rate your current/recent role on a scale of 1 to 5, where:

   • 1 = Strongly Disaligned (This value is consistently violated in my work)
   • 2 = Somewhat Disaligned (This value is often overlooked or compromised)
   • 3 = Neutral (This value is neither strongly supported nor violated)
   • 4 = Somewhat Aligned (This value is generally supported in my work)
   • 5 = Strongly Aligned (This value is consistently honored and prioritized)

Example Table:

Core Value	Alignment Rating (1-5)	Explanation
Impact	2	My work feels transactional; I don’t see how it benefits anyone beyond the company’s bottom line.
Autonomy	4	I have some flexibility in how I approach my tasks, but I still have a lot of oversight.
Learning	1	There are no opportunities for professional development, and I feel stagnant.
Relationships	5	I work with a fantastic team and enjoy building strong connections with my colleagues.
Integrity	3	The company generally operates ethically, but I’ve witnessed some questionable practices.

3. Analyze the Results: Look for patterns. Which values are consistently rated low? These are the areas where your work is causing the most dissatisfaction. Which values are highly rated? These are the areas where you’re finding fulfillment.

Pro tip: Be brutally honest in your assessment. It’s tempting to rationalize or downplay the misalignment, but that will only delay the inevitable.

Identifying Value Conflicts

Sometimes, values can conflict with each other. For example, you might value both ‘Financial Security’ and ‘Autonomy’. A traditional corporate job might offer financial stability but limit your freedom, while a freelance career might offer autonomy but come with income uncertainty.

Recognizing these conflicts is important because it forces you to prioritize. You may need to make trade-offs. Are you willing to sacrifice some financial security for greater autonomy? Or are you willing to accept less freedom in exchange for a more stable income?

Warning: Don’t ignore value conflicts. They will create internal tension and make it difficult to make satisfying career decisions.

From Values to Career Possibilities: A Starting Point

Now that you understand your core values and how they align (or don't align) with your current work, you can begin to explore potential career paths. This isn't about finding the perfect job; it's about identifying options that better resonate with what matters most to you.

Here's a quick table to illustrate how different values might align with different career areas. This is a simplified example; many careers will align with multiple values.

Core Value	Potential Career Areas
Impact	Non-profit work, social work, teaching, healthcare, environmental science
Autonomy	Freelancing, entrepreneurship, consulting, writing, remote work
Learning	Research, academia, journalism, training & development, software engineering
Relationships	Sales, customer service, teaching, counseling, team leadership
Creativity	Design, marketing, writing, music, art, architecture
Financial Security	Finance, accounting, law, engineering, established corporate roles

Action step: Brainstorm at least 10 potential career paths that seem to align with your top 5-7 values. Don't limit yourself at this stage; just explore possibilities.

This section has provided you with the tools to understand what truly motivates you. It’s not about dismissing past experiences or skills; it’s about building a future where your work is a source of fulfillment, not just a means to an end. The next step is to explore your interests and skills, the building blocks of a career that feels both meaningful and sustainable.

…The next step is to explore your interests and skills, the building blocks of a career that feels both meaningful and sustainable.

Digging Deeper: Your Skills Audit

Identifying your values is the ‘why’ behind a potential career shift. Now we need to tackle the ‘how’, what can you actually do? Many people in their 30s and 40s underestimate their transferable skills. They’ve become so focused on their job title that they’ve forgotten the skills they’ve honed along the way.

We’ll conduct a skills audit, focusing on three key areas:

• Hard Skills: These are specific, teachable abilities, like proficiency in a software program, data analysis, or project management.
• Soft Skills: These are personal attributes that enable you to interact effectively with others, like communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership.
• Hidden Skills: These are skills you may not even realize you possess, often developed through hobbies, volunteer work, or life experiences.

Exercise: The Skills Brain Dump

Grab a fresh sheet of paper or open a new document. Divide it into the three categories above. Set a timer for 20 minutes and simply list everything you can do, no matter how small or insignificant it seems. Don’t censor yourself. Think about:

• Your current and past jobs
• Volunteer experiences
• Hobbies and interests
• Things you’re naturally good at
• Things people ask you for help with

Don’t worry about phrasing or organization at this stage. Just get everything out of your head and onto the page.

Once the timer goes off, review your list. You’ll likely be surprised by how much you’ve accumulated. Now, let’s refine it.

Transferable Skills: The Key to Change

Not all skills are created equal. For a career change, we’re most interested in transferable skills, skills that can be applied to a variety of different roles and industries.

For example, if you’re a project manager, your skills in planning, organization, communication, and problem-solving are transferable to many other fields, like marketing, education, or even non-profit management.

Action step: From your skills list, identify the 10-15 most transferable skills. Highlight them or move them to a separate list. For each skill, write a brief example of how you’ve demonstrated it in a real-world situation. This will be invaluable when you start tailoring your resume and interviewing.

The Values-Skills Matrix: Finding the Sweet Spot

Now we'll combine your values and skills to identify potential career paths that are both meaningful and feasible. This is where things start to get exciting.

Create a simple matrix with your top 5-7 values listed across the top and your 10-15 transferable skills listed down the side.

	Value 1: Impact	Value 2: Autonomy	Value 3: Learning	Value 4: Creativity	Value 5: Financial Security
Skill 1: Communication	X	X	X	X	X
Skill 2: Project Management	X	X	X		X
Skill 3: Data Analysis			X		X
Skill 4: Problem Solving	X	X	X	X	X
…and so on…

For each cell in the matrix, ask yourself: “Could I realistically use this skill to fulfill this value in a career?” If the answer is yes, mark the cell with an ‘X’.

This matrix will reveal patterns. You’ll likely see clusters of ‘X’s in certain areas, indicating career paths that align with both your values and your skills.

Example: If you value ‘Impact’ and ‘Creativity’ and have strong skills in ‘Communication’ and ‘Problem Solving’, potential career paths might include marketing for a non-profit, social media management for a cause you believe in, or content creation with a social purpose.

Values-Based Career Satisfaction Assessment

To solidify your understanding, let's complete a short assessment to gauge your current career satisfaction based on your values.

Instructions: For each statement below, rate your agreement on a scale of 1 to 5, where:

• 1 = Strongly Disagree
• 2 = Disagree
• 3 = Neutral
• 4 = Agree
• 5 = Strongly Agree

Statements:

1. My current work allows me to make a positive impact on others.
2. I have a high degree of autonomy and control over my work.
3. My job provides opportunities for continuous learning and growth.
4. I can express my creativity and innovative ideas in my work.
5. I feel financially secure and adequately compensated for my efforts.
6. My work aligns with my personal values and beliefs.
7. I feel a sense of purpose and meaning in my work.
8. I have a healthy work-life balance.
9. I feel valued and appreciated for my contributions.
10. I am challenged and stimulated by my work.

Scoring:

• Add up your scores for statements 1, 3, 7, and 10. This represents your Meaning & Growth score.
• Add up your scores for statements 2, 8, and 9. This represents your Well-being & Autonomy score.
• Add up your scores for statements 4, 5, and 6. This represents your Alignment & Security score.

Interpretation:

• High Scores (18-25): You're generally satisfied with your career and it aligns well with your values. Consider ways to further leverage your strengths and deepen your engagement.
• Moderate Scores (12-17): You have some areas of satisfaction, but also some unmet needs. Focus on identifying the gaps and exploring ways to address them.
• Low Scores (6-11): You're likely feeling significantly unfulfilled in your current career. This assessment confirms the need for change.

This assessment is not a definitive diagnosis, but it provides a valuable snapshot of your current situation and highlights areas for improvement.

Addressing Limiting Beliefs

Throughout this process, you may encounter limiting beliefs, negative thoughts that hold you back from pursuing your dreams. Common limiting beliefs include:

• “I’m too old to start over.”
• “I don’t have the skills for a different career.”
• “It’s too risky to leave a stable job.”
• “I’m afraid of failure.”

Recognize these beliefs as just that, beliefs, not facts. Challenge them by asking yourself:

• Is this belief actually true?
• What evidence supports this belief?
• What evidence contradicts this belief?
• What would I tell a friend who had this belief?

Replace limiting beliefs with empowering affirmations. For example, instead of “I’m too old to start over,” try “I have valuable experience and skills that are transferable to a new career.”

Next Steps: Research and Exploration

Congratulations! You’ve completed the foundational work of uncovering your core values and assessing your skills. You’ve started to identify potential career paths that align with your passions and abilities.

The next phase involves deeper research and exploration. This includes:

• Informational Interviews: Talk to people who are already working in careers that interest you. Ask them about their experiences, challenges, and rewards.
• Online Research: Explore job boards, industry publications, and professional associations.
• Skill Development: Identify any skills gaps and consider taking courses, workshops, or online tutorials.
• Networking: Attend industry events and connect with people in your field of interest.

This is a journey, not a race. Be patient with yourself, embrace the process, and remember that you deserve a career that is both fulfilling and sustainable.

This section concludes with a solid understanding of your internal compass (values) and your toolkit (skills). You’re now equipped to move forward with confidence and purpose, and begin building a career that truly aligns with who you are and what matters most to you.

The sample ends here.