In public, a career change is often spoken about as if it’s a leap; in reality, it’s a long negotiation between internal and outer worlds. Over the past six years, I’ve moved from frontend engineering to people-focused work, learning that this shift isn’t a single decision but a system of experiments.

This talk distils that journey into principles anyone navigating change can use: how to recognise when learning plateaus, how to test new directions without collapse, and how to keep self-respect while everything is shifting. It’s not about reinvention – it’s about learning to stay present while your next professional shape emerges.