“Doing what I can do best in my lane”

“Doing what I can do best in my lane”

I love this expression from a LinkedIn post by David McQueen a few months ago.

In fact, I've printed it out and stuck it up above my desk.

Because one of the challenges of redesigning your career at 50+ is being able to narrow down – intelligently and confidently – on the thing that you’re going to put your energy into in this next phase.

Doing this will help you avoid:

🤔 Getting distracted by all the other possibilities

😵 Being too diffuse or disparate in your efforts

😩 Getting overwhelmed

😟 Being uncertain

In theory, I could coach anyone at any career stage. But who am I best placed to support and what career questions am I best placed to help them with? What is it that interests and energises me?

It took me a while to find my way to my lane. But now I’m here, I know why this is the place to be, I know what I’m doing here, and I can get on with doing it without being distracted by what’s happening in those other lanes I could be swimming in.

Update December 2025: I have now retired from career coaching to pursue other projects relating to work and career. If you need career support, start your search (in the UK) at the Career Development Institute’s Professional Register