Saying I Don't Know
The journey to your ideal career begins with one small step.
Admit that you don't know how to get there.
“A journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step.”
Though ancient, this proverb applies surprisingly well to engineers today who feel stuck.
Start With What You Don't Know
In other words, the journey to your ideal career begins with one small step: Admit that you don’t know how to get there. Simple, but not easy.
Saying “I don’t know how” can feel unnatural.
After all, you've spent years becoming someone who knows things. You’re even considered an expert in at least one topic. Logic, research, training, conversations with colleagues—these tools have always been reliable sources of answers.
So when those tools stop working and the fix isn’t clear, it’s unsettling. You don’t know how.
Two Options
At that point, you have two options:
Push the feelings down and continue with life as usual
Or take the single small step:admit you don’t know how to get there
Let Curiosity Lead
That small bit of self-reflection changes everything by sparking your curiosity. There’s no sudden breakthrough. Instead, ideas begin churning. Questions form.
You start wondering about other tools while walking through the grocery store. You find yourself, standing in the kitchen and daydreaming. You start noting which parts of your day energize you, and which ones drain you.
You Don't Need a Five-Year Plan
You don’t have a five-year plan (does anyone really?). What you do have is a question—and the courage to follow it. And that’s where the journey begins.
