As you guide your professional life into a backward shift, you don’t want to sink into frustration or pity.
Last month, I had you set your career vehicle in Park mode—observing your surroundings, comparing possible routes, checking for storms on the horizon and carrying out an honest review of your impact at work. In that exercise, you evaluated your position, weighed alternatives and assessed your contributions. The next maneuver I advised was Reverse.
You might think you’re always supposed to head ahead. Contrary to common belief, sometimes you must step back. Perhaps you skipped routine checks on oil levels, ignored warnings about tire pressure and neglected to clear your windshield for better visibility. Or maybe you made a lateral transition, faced a demotion or even departed from your role. Each situation can cloud judgment—I speak from experience.
Avoid letting discouragement or pity take hold. Life rarely operates on a level playing field, so accept that truth. When events were in your hands, reflect on alternative choices you’d make. For factors outside your reach, let them pass and move forward.
An abrupt stop on your route could become a hidden advantage. You may uncover a fresh direction offering higher stakes along with greater payoff—like launching your own venture. Plenty of professionals have gone down that road; I’m proof of its potential.
Sometimes Reverse mode proves invaluable for these reasons:
When a work-life imbalance begins to erode your home life, it’s time to shift gears and revisit both personal and career ambitions.
If you devote excessive hours to your job while neglecting loved ones, the return on that investment will disappoint.
Sustaining physical well-being and mental clarity is critical for delivering impact in any role. Ignoring burnout or chronic stress can leave you unfit for new challenges and diminish your creativity. I tap Reverse two or three times each year to reconnect with my top resource—my family. “No emails or business calls, thank you very much!” That break might include hiking, yoga or simply a weekend free of screens. You’ll return with fresh clarity and rekindled motivation. The result is better stamina and sharper insights.
Treat your family to memorable trips, ideally to spots without a single bar of reception. Be strategic and occasionally move from Overdrive into Reverse.
Heed the saying “take time to sharpen your axe.” Pausing to refine your capabilities before returning to the career woods leads to faster, stronger progress. Stepping back for a moment restores perspective and gauges your advancement.
Evaluate whether you’ve pursued the education, training or credentials needed for the next rung. Advancing in any path requires dedicated effort.
Here are some ideas:
- Assemble your skill stack brick by brick, confirming each skill aligns with your aims.
- Confirm you can dedicate the necessary time to acquire each skill within a realistic schedule.
- Draft an initial design for your career garage; it serves as a foundation to expand from.
- Choose a one-car, two-car or four-car setup, then take incremental steps to build momentum.
- Consult mentors who’ve developed four-car garages; ask about their process.
- If you admire your workplace culture, ask senior leadership which traits and abilities will be in demand, then plan accordingly.
Remember that backing up implies looking through the rearview instead of focusing on the road ahead. Don’t linger too long in that gear. Now is a prime moment to zero in on 2026.
The next two months bring a whirlwind of festivities, yet you should preserve your focus on forward motion. Postponing all planning until January 1, 2026 puts you at a disadvantage.
After the right interval in Reverse, it’s time to engage Drive for your career. When your bearings, skill plan, mindset, commitment and objectives align, press the accelerator. That doesn’t mean losing sight of balance; it simply means switching gears to reach your target.
Next month, I’ll offer techniques for mastering the clutch and achieving seamless shifts. I look forward to exploring that with you.
