We start our careers with some sense of who we are, where we hope to be, and who we want to be. Along the way, most of us are bound to encounter feelings of not being in the right direction. At times, we may feel like we are nowhere to be found. If this happens only once in your career, consider yourself lucky.
Workforce trends, such as flexible working and the increasing influence of employees, seem to increase the networking of your work and personal life. This means that more people, more often – including those at the beginning of their careers and those who have been working for decades – ask themselves various questions that represent a potential fork in the road: What organization do I want to work for? for? What kind of work am I most interested in? Who will I work with, where, and how?
These existential questions are not random. They are often an indicator that people believe their working life has stopped. Stagnation is a state of non-progress. For many employees, especially high performers, this is an uncomfortable place to be.
Some characteristics of stagnation are not bad for everyone, such as routine doses or minimal changes caused by external variables. It’s good that not everyone finds passion in work. For those who seek strong growth in their professional roles, the idea of moving anywhere, even for a relatively short time, is something we strive to avoid and often stress.
What can high-profile players do when their careers take off?
It helps to identify the cause of the problem. Stagnation can occur from internal or external factors. Ultimately, these feelings are subjective.
At one point in my career, I was in a job for about three years longer than I thought I should have been. The main driver for me at the time was geographical stability: I wanted to stay where I was so that my children could be close to their grandparents. This is a form of stagnation driven by internal factors but tolerable because of my choices. While it was my choice, I will share that there were moments of great frustration when I did get the chance.
External factors seem different. Maybe your boss who nurtured and supported you has moved on and you don’t connect very well with your new manager. Maybe the company was acquired or has changed its strategy and leadership in such a way that the culture is not where it wants to be. Maybe the layoff you’ve survived means more work and responsibility for the same salary with no other way to make ends meet.
The next most important thing is to take stock of your top priorities. Top means top. Can’t be there 10. Work on sharpening your list. The process will help you develop more clarity.
Maybe you prioritize the deeper meaning of your career or more fulfilling responsibilities. Maybe you need and/or want to earn more money. Or you turn down more money and prestige because flexible work is most important to you.
Identifying the path you want to take can’t happen until you determine what you’re looking for from a different role or a new challenge. At this point, it also helps to find out what you’re looking for in your current employer—or even at work.
If the role you like doesn’t come right away, you may still be able to find it by asking to join the committee at work. Perhaps the answer can be found in volunteering for a local non-profit organization. Depending on your employer, a side hustle may be possible.
Your priorities may be seeking other inputs that help you decide what is most important. If so, openness to new experiences is necessary. Speaking of openness—you need to widen your aperture by focusing more on networking.
By all means, use your existing network. Rely on mentors, past bosses, and close colleagues to make new choices for yourself. But also be very careful. You can easily burn. Be thoughtful and deliberate in your networking. No two relationships are the same.
That said, don’t keep everything inside. If you are the type of person looking for a new challenge, or you want to change your current career trajectory, or even someone who wants to harmonize work and personal life more deeply, you can’t internalize your problems.
The people who push it down are the ones who end up showing their frustrations elsewhere. However, carefully and strategically use your ambitious energy to get on the right path for your next opportunity. And don’t forget, change requires action. Align your ambitions with your actions.
Anne Chow is a lead director on the Board of Directors of FranklinCovey, a director of 3M and author of the best-selling book, A Leader’s Guide to Unconscious Bias. Chow is the former CEO of AT&T Business and was twice featured as one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women in Business.
Opinions expressed in Fortune.com comment pieces are solely the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect their opinions and beliefs. fortune.
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