What to Do When You Feel Stuck in Your Career

Most of us hit a career wall at some point. Things that once felt exciting start to feel flat. You might be ticking boxes, hitting your targets, even getting praise from others, but inside, something’s off. You feel stuck.

This can be a confusing and frustrating place to be, especially if you’ve worked hard to get where you are. You might be asking yourself: “Is it me? Is it the job? Am I ungrateful for wanting more?”.

Here’s the truth: feeling stuck is more common than you think. It’s also not a sign that you’ve failed; it’s often a signal that something in your career needs to shift.

Whether you’re a senior leader or a mid-career professional, this post is for you if you’re craving clarity and momentum but aren’t sure where to start.

What does “stuck” actually feel like?

Stuckness can show up in different ways. Maybe you’re:

Feeling bored or underwhelmed by your day-to-day.
Questioning your purpose or direction.
Watching others progress and wondering why you’re standing still.
Feeling restless, but unsure of what you’re moving toward.
Dreading Mondays, even if your job “should” be a good one.

If you relate to any of these, know that you’re not alone and that you’re allowed to want more from your career, even if it looks successful on paper.

Why do we get stuck

There are many reasons people feel stuck at work, and they’re often layered. Sometimes it’s practical, like limited growth opportunities. Other times it’s internal, a loss of confidence, burnout or the sense that your role no longer reflects who you are or what you care about.

Often, it’s a combination of factors. You might have outgrown your current role, but feel too tired or unsure to make a move. Or you might be carrying old stories like “I should stay grateful” or “this is what success looks like”, even when those stories don’t fit anymore.

The key is not to judge yourself. Instead, start getting curious.

What to do when you feel stuck in your career

1. Name what’s really going on

It sounds simple, but many people try to push through without ever naming what’s wrong. Take a moment to ask yourself: What exactly feels off right now? Is it the work? The culture? The lack of learning? The mismatch with your values?

Journaling can help here, or talking to someone impartial, like a coach. Once you’ve named the discomfort, you can begin to work with it.

2. Reconnect with what matters to you

When you’re deep in the day-to-day, it’s easy to lose sight of what really energises you. Think back to times in your career when you felt most alive, challenged or fulfilled. What were you doing? Who were you working with? What impact were you making?

Now ask yourself: How much of that exists in your current role? And what might need to change to get more of it?

3. Look for small experiments

Getting unstuck doesn’t always mean a big career leap. Sometimes it starts with small experiments. That might be taking on a new project, shadowing someone in a different team or reconnecting with someone in your network.

These low-risk steps give you valuable insight and momentum, and they often help you rediscover what you want (and don’t want) without throwing everything up in the air.

4. Challenge the inner critic

When you’re stuck, your inner critic tends to get louder: “You’re too old to change direction,” “you should be happy where you are,” “what if you fail?” It’s helpful to recognise that these voices are trying to protect you, but they’re not always right.

Ask yourself: Whose voice is this? Is it based on fact or fear? And what would you say to a friend in the same position?

5. Talk to someone outside the situation

It’s hard to get clear when you’re in the middle of it. Speaking to a coach, mentor or trusted peer can help you see the bigger picture, explore options and challenge assumptions you didn’t even know you were holding.

Sometimes, just voicing your thoughts out loud is enough to unlock something new.

6. Redefine what progress looks like

In some roles, there’s a clear path upwards, but not all growth is vertical. Progress might look like broadening your skillset, finding more balance, stepping into leadership in a new way or aligning your work more closely with your values.

Give yourself permission to define success on your own terms. That’s when things really start to shift.

Final thoughts

Feeling stuck doesn’t mean you’ve taken a wrong turn. Often, it’s a sign that you’re ready for something more aligned, more fulfilling, more you. And while it might feel uncomfortable right now, this can be the moment that sets a whole new direction in motion.

If you’re ready to explore what’s next, whether that means a new role, a shift in mindset, or simply getting clear on what you want, I’d love to support you. Through coaching, career diagnostics and leadership development, we can map out a path that feels true to who you are and where you want to go.

You don’t have to stay stuck. And you don’t have to figure it out alone.