Stop Chasing Control. Get Clear on What’s Next.
What is real control when life’s storms remind us how little we truly hold? What if uncertainty isn’t a barrier, but an invitation—to pause, listen, and uncover what’s waiting inside you?
In Episode 10 of Your Next Success, we explore the illusion of control and reveal how to shift from reaction to response, align with your deepest values, and step confidently into what’s genuinely yours.
The Illusion of Control
We plan, protect, and predict—until life reminds us: floods, layoffs, broken relationships, unexpected diagnoses. Control is a delicate thread. Yet within every disruption lies a deeper invitation:
Not just to react, but to respond
Not to numb out, but to listen in
Not to chase safety, but to shape what’s yours
Imagine an elder on their final breath, surrounded by unfamiliar faces who gently whisper, “We are your untapped dreams. We must die with you because you never chose us.” Those voices are the whispers in your heart—ideas, talents, longings—waiting for your permission to live.
Asking the Hard Questions
What dreams have you been ignoring? What ideas still whisper at 2 AM? Questioning your path isn’t a sign of failure; it’s proof you’re awake to your own life.
Research shows we enter natural turning points every 7–10 years—ages 18, 22, and beyond—each asking, “Is this still mine?” Rather than cram those questions into fear-fueled reactions, we can:
Pause long enough to feel what matters.
Listen for that still, small voice—your intuition, your inner knowing.
Respond from alignment, not urgency.
From Reaction to Response
Reaction is frantic—pushing back the flood with bare hands. Response is wise—choosing next steps from calm clarity.
Reacting locks you in survival mode: “I must fix this now!”
Responding opens you to presence: “What is mine to shape here?”
When you learn to respond, you reclaim your power. You see your longings, honor your values, and co‑create with life’s unfolding.
Giving Yourself Permission
That still, small voice needs space—and sometimes a gentle nudge. That’s why I love Cortney McDermott’s work. She teaches that real change starts within, weaving neuroscience with timeless wisdom so you don’t just hear new ideas—you feel and embody them.
Cortney reminds us: your potential, your gifts, are not waiting on perfect timing. They’re waiting on you. Waiting for your permission to step forward.
Your Next Success Starts Here
What could your life look like if you stopped chasing control and started shaping what truly matters?
Notice the tightness or spark in your body—your inner compass.
Honor your questions—they’re the doorways to your next evolution.
Choose to respond with calm clarity.
If you’re ready to explore your path more deeply—to map what’s next and build your life on your terms—visit Next Success Careers. There you’ll find career tools, guided assessments, coaching, and courses designed to help you break free from what no longer fits and step confidently into the life you were made for.
You are still here, still breathing, still entirely capable of saying yes to what’s waiting inside you. Keep listening. Keep responding. Keep becoming exactly who you are meant to be.
🎧 Listen to: “Stop Chasing Control. Get Clear on What’s Next.” on Your Next Success.
Keep going. You’re not done yet.
With heart,
Caroline
