From Feeling Stuck to Finding Purpose: My Journey into Career Counseling

The Beginning: A Father’s Realization

A few years after becoming a father, I noticed something that shook me deeply. My little girl, full of energy and love, would crave my attention in ways that, at the time, irritated me. While I was engrossed in back-to-back meetings or glued to my laptop, she’d throw tantrums or scream just to get my attention. For her, it was a cry for connection. For me, it felt like an unwelcome interruption. One day, as I sat at my desk trying to complete a high-priority task, I saw her sitting in the corner, quiet and subdued. It hit me like a thunderbolt—I was there physically, but emotionally, I wasn’t present. I wasn’t giving her the time and attention she deserved. That moment planted a seed in my mind: was I truly balancing work and family, or was I just existing in both worlds without excelling in either?

Life at Work: The Comfort Zone Trap

On the work front, things weren’t any better. With 16 years of experience in project management, I had climbed the ladder to the role of Director. On paper, everything looked perfect. But in reality, I felt like I was stuck on a loop—doing the same thing, switching companies, but not really growing. I was working hard, meeting deadlines, and delivering results, but it all felt mechanical. The spark was missing. The thought of staying in this comfort zone for the rest of my life terrified me. I started asking myself tough questions: What am I really good at? Is this how I want to spend the next decade of my career? Can I do something that gives me purpose and lets me spend quality time with my family? Every evening, I’d sit with my favorite cup of chai, brainstorming business ideas. I thought about starting an agency, launching a training business, or even becoming a brand consultant. I’d buy domains, design logos, and dream about success. But none of these ideas ever saw the light of day.

Losing Friends and Finding Myself

This obsession with business ideas started taking a toll on my relationships. My friends got tired of hearing my endless plans, and even my wife told me she didn’t want to talk to me unless it was about something other than business. For three days, we barely spoke because I had nothing else to talk about. But beneath the frustration was a deeper issue: I felt stuck. I didn’t know what I wanted to do next, and the fear of missing out on a better life added to my anxiety. Watching YouTube videos of people who had quit their corporate jobs to follow their passions made things worse. I envied their clarity and balance

The Search for Help

In my desperation, I decided to look for a career counsellor who could help me find clarity. I wanted someone who could listen without judgment, guide me to discover my strengths, and help me balance my work and personal life. I met several counsellors, but each session felt formulaic, like they were following a script. I wasn’t looking for a cookie-cutter solution. I wanted someone who could give me actionable, personalized advice a mentor who could hold me accountable, help me find peace and contentment, and guide me toward a balanced life.

The Turning Point

When I couldn’t find the guidance I needed, I turned to books, audiobooks, and spiritual texts. I read the Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavat Purana, and books on workplace conflicts and communication. I took assessments like DMIT and psychometry and started journaling my thoughts and goals. Slowly, I began to see a clearer picture of what I wanted: a career that aligned with my strengths and passions while allowing me to spend quality time with my family. Around this time, a friend called me seeking career advice. We ended up talking for three hours, and he told me how much clarity he gained from our conversation. Over the next few months, we worked together to create a plan for his career transition, and he eventually achieved his goal. More people started reaching out to me for advice friends, colleagues, even acquaintances. Without realizing it, I was already doing what I had been searching for in a counsellor: helping others rediscover their strengths, align their careers with their purpose, and find balance in their lives.

The Birth of “The Onward Quest”

This journey of self-discovery and helping others led to the realization that career counselling wasn’t just something I was good at it was something I was passionate about. I decided to formalize it and start “The Onward Quest,” a platform where I could guide mid-career professionals who feel stuck, anxious, or unsure about their next steps. At Onward Quest, I combine science-backed methods like psychometry, DMIT, and CBT with timeless spiritual wisdom from texts like the Bhagavad Gita. My mission is to help professionals:

Discover their unique strengths and passions
Align their careers with their purpose Balance work, family, and personal growth
The Problem with Career Counselling Today

While my journey led me to discover the value of career counselling, it also opened my eyes to a critical gap in the way it’s being done today. Most career counselling services I came across felt structured, generic, and disconnected from the unique challenges of working professionals.

Is the current approach to career counselling truly effective? Does it address the real, lived experiences of people stuck in mid-career dilemmas? Or is it just another tick-the-box exercise that fails to create lasting impact? These questions stayed with me, and they’re questions I believe more of us need to ask.

I’ll dive deeper into this in my next post, exploring why traditional career counselling often falls short and what we can do to redefine it. Stay tuned.

Why I Do What I Do

I chose career counselling because I know what it feels like to be stuck, overwhelmed, and anxious about the future. I know the frustration of wanting more but not knowing where to start. My journey taught me that clarity doesn’t come from external validation it comes from within. And sometimes, all we need is a guide to help us see it.

Through Onward Quest, I hope to be that guide for others, helping them find clarity, balance, and fulfillment in their careers and lives.

Final Note:

If you’re a working professional feeling stuck or lost, know that you’re not alone. There’s a way forward, and I’d be honored to help you find it. Let’s take that first step together onwards and upwards.