The Mid-Career Makeover Show
The show where mid-career professionals learn how to take control of their story, elevate their career brand, and unlock the success they deserve. Through actionable insights, expert advice, and inspiring stories, we help you navigate your next career chapter with confidence and purpose.
The Mid-Career Makeover Show
Seven Power Moves to Level Up Your Mid-Career Journey
Feeling stuck, stalled, or simply ready for more? In this episode, LaVonne James drops 7 game-changing power moves to help you reignite your confidence, rewrite your narrative, and reclaim your career momentum. No fluff—just bold strategies to help you stop coasting and start commanding the next chapter of your career.
Listen now and make your move.
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Thank you for listening! For more information on mid-career transformation, visit AI4CareerSuccess.com. Connect with me on LinkedIn.
The Mid-Career Makeover Show. Seven power moves to level up your mid-career journey.
SPEAKER_04:It's too late now. Your child's behind ya. Wisdom sing again. Passion on fire. You've got stories to tell. And dreams to inspire. Rise above the noise.
SPEAKER_00:Take your place high. Welcome to the Mid-Career Makeover Show, the place where clarity meets courage, and seasoned professionals like you stop playing small and start playing smart. This week's episode is sponsored by the Brand Breakthrough System.
SPEAKER_02:Tired of being the best kept secret in your industry? It's time to build a brand that gets you noticed. Go from invisible to irresistible in 90 days with the brand breakthrough system. In just 90 days. Whether you're job searching, pivoting, or aiming higher, this system gives you the strategy and confidence to own your career. All in just 90 days. Ready to break through? Learn more at Brandbreakthroughsystem.com. Step up, stand out, and lead. Your career is worth it.
SPEAKER_00:Today's episode is all about power. Not the kind you wait to be given, but the kind you decide to own. Maybe you're feeling invisible. Maybe you've hit a plateau. Maybe you're wondering, is this all there is? Well, today I've got seven power moves that will shake the dust off your career dreams, reignite your confidence, and push you back into the driver's seat. And I'm not talking about vague motivational fluff. I'm talking strategy, action, and transformation. Before we dive deep into these power moves, I want to speak to your heart because I know what it feels like to hit the middle of your career and wonder if your best days are behind you. Let me tell you something loudly and clearly. They're not. You haven't missed your moment. You haven't peaked. You are not too late, too tired, too far behind, or too old. You're seasoned, you're sharper than you've ever been. You've got receipts, you've got wisdom that no certificate can teach. You've lived through change, you've adapted, you've overcome. And all of that makes you dangerous in the best way. This is your turning point. If you've been doubting yourself, let me be the voice that drowns out that doubt today. You've still got big things to build, you've still got value to share. And you owe it to yourself to finish your career strong, not burnt out, not overlooked, not shrinking, but powerful, purposeful, and proud of how you showed up. So when I share these power moves today, I don't want you to just hear them. I want you to decide. Decide that today is the day you start moving differently. Decide that clarity, confidence, and courage will drive the next season of your life. Decide to bet on yourself again. Because the second half of your career, it's yours to win.
SPEAKER_01:Are you ready to break through the noise and build a career that truly reflects your potential? In Think Like a Leader to build a career brand that accelerates your success. Levon McKyver James shares the proven strategies behind her brand breakthrough system. Learn how to think like a leader, craft your unique value proposition, and tell a story that commands attention. Whether you're looking to stand out in your current role or land your next big opportunity, this book is your guide to taking control of your career and your future. Don't wait for success to find you. Create it. Get your copy of Think Like a Leader to build a career brand that accelerates your success today, and start building the brand and life you deserve. Available on Amazon.
SPEAKER_00:Welcome back to the Mid-Career Makeover Show. Grab your coffee, pull up your notes app, and let's get to it. Power move number one reclaim your narrative. This is about getting your story straight, not just for others, but for yourself. Let's talk theory. Humans think in stories. Psychologists call it narrative identity, the idea that how you tell your life story shapes how you live it. But too often, mid-career professionals start telling stale stories. I've always worked in operations. I'm just not a tech person. I don't know if I'm leadership material. These scripts get baked into resumes, LinkedIn profiles, interviews, and eventually belief systems. For example, I had a client who started every interview by saying, I've been in the same role for 12 years. Guess what that told employers? I'm stagnant. We flipped it. Now she says, over the past 12 years, I've become the go-to expert for solving operational bottlenecks, improving team productivity, and launching cost-saving systems that save my company$500,000. Same experience. Totally different story. Here's what I want you to do: reread your resume and LinkedIn profile as if you're an outsider. Ask, what's the dominant narrative here? Is it passive or powerful? Supportive or stale? Then rewrite it with these three prompts. What am I known for? What problem do I consistently solve? What's the thread that connects all my roles? You are not just your past titles. You are the value you bring, and that story starts with you. Here's power move number two. Audit your circle. We've all heard that quote. You're the average of the five people you spend the most time with. But let's take it further, because in mid-career, your circle can either keep you stuck or help you soar. Let's talk some more theory. Social psychologists call this social contagion. Your beliefs, ambitions, and even income levels are shaped by your social environment. So let me ask you, are your conversations filled with what's possible? Or why bother? Are your peers cheering your growth or just surviving? For instance, one of my clients was doing everything right applying, networking, learning. But her inner circle kept saying, just be happy you have a job. So she stayed small. Once she joined a mastermind group of other ambitious professionals, her confidence soared. She got a mentor and she actually made a successful career pivot. Here's something I want you to do. Take inventory. Write down the five people you talk to the most about your career. Then ask, are they ahead of you? Do they challenge you to grow? Would you trade careers with them? If not, it's time to expand your circle. Join an industry Slack group. Follow three thought leaders and engage in their comments. Book a coffee chat with someone in your dream role. Don't just network for jobs, network for mindset. Power move number three, position yourself as a thought leader. Now I know what some of you are thinking. Levon, I'm not trying to be famous, but let me be clear. Thought leadership isn't about being loud, it's about being clear. It's about owning your space as someone with insight, not just experience. Theory check. Positioning theory says the way people see you is shaped by how you show up in conversations. Are you seen as the go-to expert? Or just someone who has experience? For example, another client of mine had 20 years in healthcare operations, but zero online presence. We started small, one LinkedIn post, a week sharing insights, a comment on industry trends. Six months later, she had LinkedIn connections to take her to the next level. Take action, start showing up, start saying something. You don't have to be everywhere. You just have to be consistent somewhere. Ask yourself, what do I want to be known for? What's one myth in my industry I want to challenge? What advice do I wish someone gave me 10 years ago? You want to be a thought leader? Start small. Post once a week on LinkedIn. Create a free resource. Checklist, guide, post. Speak at a virtual event or industry meetup. When people can see your brain at work, they start to see your value. Power move number four, upskill with purpose. I see it all the time. People collecting certifications like trading cards. But here's the deal: more learning isn't always more earning. In career development, there's something called just-in-time learning. It's the idea that the best time to learn a new skill is when it directly supports your next step, not just someday. For example, I worked with a client who wanted to pivot into project management. She was about to sign up for a$4,000 course until we discovered she already had experience managing timelines, budgets, and stakeholders. All she needed was to learn agile methodology and tighten her storytelling. She took one low-cost class, updated her resume, and landed the job. Ask yourself, what's the role I want next? What's one skill or tool that would make me undeniable? Then choose learning that's aligned, not random. Here are some practical recommendations to upskill. Use LinkedIn Learning or Coursera for bite-sized targeted lessons. Apply what you learn immediately, build a project, volunteer, or post about it. Don't just get the knowledge. Show that you're using it. Power move number five, and the one that scares most people the most. Make the ask. You've done the work, you've got the receipts. But if you're waiting for someone to notice and reward you, you could be waiting forever. Behavioral economics calls this the spotlight effect. We think people are noticing us more than they are. Reality? Most decision makers are too busy to connect the dots. You have to draw the line for them. For example, a client of mine had been leading major initiatives at her job for over a year, but she wasn't getting promoted. Why? She hadn't asked. She assumed they'd notice. We role-played the conversation. She came in with results, a clear ask, and confidence. Think about what you want: a raise, a promotion, a pivot? Then ask, who do I need to have a conversation with? What proof can I share? What's my ideal outcome? Use the because therefore framework. Because I've led XYZ, therefore I believe I'm ready for role or salary or project. Practice the ask with a mentor or coach. Do it scared, but do it anyway. You're not being pushy, you're being proactive.
SPEAKER_02:Tired of being the best kept secret in your industry? It's time to build a brand that gets you noticed. Go from invisible to irresistible in 90 days with the brand breakthrough system. In just 90 days. Whether you're job searching, pivoting, or aiming higher, this system gives you the strategy and confidence to own your career. All in just 90 days. Ready to break through? Learn more at Brandbreakthroughsystem.com. Step up, stand out, and lead. Your career is worth it.
SPEAKER_00:Welcome back to the Mid Career Makeover Show. All right, let's talk about a move nobody ever brings up, but it's a silent career killer. Power move number six. Break the autopilot habit. You know what I mean. You show up, log in, do your job, and somewhere along the way, you stopped thinking on purpose. You stopped questioning, imagining, initiating. In neuroscience, there's a term called cognitive economy. Your brain automates patterns to conserve energy. It's survival, but in your career, it can look like stagnation. You stop challenging assumptions, you settle for the same way, you lose the spark that once made you you. A client of mine had been working in the same role for eight years. She wasn't unhappy, but she wasn't energized either. I asked her, When was the last time you proposed something bold? Gave feedback that made you sweat, took a risk inside your current role? She couldn't remember, so we crafted a 30-day innovation challenge. Every week she had to propose an idea, try a new workflow, ask a big what if question. She came alive again, and guess what? Her boss noticed. You should audit your day-to-day. What have you been doing on repeat without questioning? Then ask, what's a process I could improve? What's something I could learn from another department? What's a bold idea I've been sitting on? I recommend. Setting a recurring calendar reminder titled Break the Pattern. Schedule one curiosity conversation a week with someone outside your team. Commit to one risk a week, small or big, but new. Because you can't innovate if you're sedated by routine. And now for our final power move, and it might be my favorite. Power move number seven. Lead before you're given the title. If you're waiting for someone to officially promote you before you step up, let me lovingly say you're doing it backwards. Theory time. Leadership isn't a title, it's a behavior. In leadership studies, there's something called informal leadership. It's influence without authority. And it's often what gets people noticed for authority. Example, I had a client who kept getting passed over for management roles. Why? Because she was doing great work, but she wasn't leading. She started mentoring new hires, volunteered to lead a team project, started running meetings with clarity and intention. Guess what happened? She didn't apply for her next promotion. It was offered to her. Stop asking, how can I get promoted? Start asking, how can I lead right where I am? Look for gaps, then fill them. Look for chaos, then bring clarity, look for disengagement, then be the spark. Because people who act like leaders get seen as leaders.
SPEAKER_03:This is your way through.
SPEAKER_00:Welcome back to the Mid-Career Makeover Show. So let's run it back. Your seven power moves to level up your mid-career journey. Number one, reclaim the narrative. Number two, audit your circle. Number three, position yourself as a thought leader. Number four, upskill with purpose. Number five, make the ask. Number six, break the autopilot habit. And number seven, lead before you're given the title. Let this episode be your wake-up call, your blueprint, your challenge. You're not behind. You're not too late. You're just one bold move away from everything that's been waiting for you. So I'll ask you again, which power move are you making this week? DM me. Tag the show, share your takeaway, and let's start a chain reaction of mid-career breakthroughs. Until next time, mid-career is your turning point. Dream big, take bold action, and own your success because the best is yet to come.