Destiny Sculpting Coaching

Building a Career That Lasts 

—

by

Deborah Spaltmann
in , , ,

From Qualifications to Evolution: What it takes to build a lasting career 

Your First Job Comes from Your Qualifications; Your Career Is Built on How You Evolve 

When we start out in our careers, we’re often focused on proving ourselves—checking all the boxes, getting the right degrees, landing that first job. And that makes sense. Early on, the rules are pretty clear: meet the qualifications, show potential, and you’ll likely get a foot in the door. But what happens after that? What gets you the job at 25 isn’t necessarily what keeps you thriving at 45. 

The truth is, careers aren’t linear, and life has a way of throwing curveballs. Promotions don’t always come when expected, industries change, and what we thought we wanted at 25 may not feel right later on. Growth isn’t about having it all figured out—it’s about staying open to learning, adapting, and recognizing that leadership isn’t about titles but about how we show up in the moments that matter. 

What Gets You Hired at 25 Isn’t What Sustains Your Success at 45 

At the start of your career, people want to know what you can do. Later on, they care more about how you think, how you lead, and how you handle uncertainty. Those who build lasting careers don’t just rely on what they knew back then—they keep evolving, staying curious, and figuring things out as they go. 

At 45, success is less about having the right answers and more about asking the right questions. How do you navigate challenges? How do you bring people together? How do you keep going when things don’t go as planned? No one has a perfect roadmap, but those who succeed understand that the ability to grow, adapt, and connect with others is what truly makes a difference. 

So, if you’re wondering how to build a career that lasts, here are a few things to keep in mind: 

  1. Stay Curious: Learning doesn’t stop once you land the job. Stay open to new perspectives and never assume you’ve seen it all. 
  1. Be Adaptable: Things will change—your role, your industry, even your own goals. The ability to adjust without losing yourself is key. 
  1. Focus on People: Success isn’t just about climbing ladders. It’s about the relationships you build and the impact you have on others. 

No one has it all figured out—not at 25, not at 45, not even at 65. But if you stay open, stay curious, and stay willing to grow, you’ll find your way. And that’s what really matters. 

Comments

One response to “Building a Career That Lasts ”

  1. Bernard Kates Avatar
    Bernard Kates

    Building on the insightful points from Debby’s post about career evolution, I couldn’t help but think about how the narrative changes as we move through different stages of our careers. If getting hired at 25 is about qualifications, and thriving at 45 is about evolving, then what about the years in between and beyond?

    It’s one thing to evolve, to learn and to adapt. It’s another to reinvent yourself completely. Evolution suggests gradual change, while reinvention implies a bold pivot, a willingness to let go of old identities and embrace new possibilities. There’s no getting away from it, that’s terrifying. But it’s also where the magic happens.

    I’m losing count of the number of times I’ve felt driven to reinvent myself. Each time it’s been because I discovered that my current situation wasn’t serving me, so I looked around for opportunities to make a change. More than once, I created the opportunities for myself. Only when I had a (sort of!) plan in place did I take action. I’ve always said that running away from something is a mistake; if you must run, then run towards something better rather than away from what you dislike.

    Think about it: How many times have you heard someone say, “I never thought I’d end up doing this, but now I can’t imagine doing anything else”? Those are stories of reinvention, not just evolution.

    The idea of reinvention sounds exhilarating until you’re standing at the edge of the cliff, peering into the unknown. It requires courage: the courage to walk away from something you’re good at to explore something you might fail at. But without that leap, how can you ever know what you’re truly capable of?

    This is why I believe reinvention is the key to a career that not only lasts but thrives. It’s about staying curious, as Debby so wisely pointed out, but also staying courageous. It’s about asking yourself not just, “How can I grow?” but also, “Who else can I become?”

    One of the hardest things about reinvention is letting go of the stories we tell ourselves—stories about who we are, what we’re good at, and what we’re supposed to be doing. These narratives served us well at one point, but they can also trap us in roles that no longer fit.

    To truly reinvent ourselves, we must be willing to release those outdated scripts and write new ones. This isn’t about abandoning our past experiences but about reinterpreting them to serve the future we want to create.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *