What If I Chose the Wrong Career Path? A Guide for Gen Z Navigating Uncertainty
“It’s only been a year, is it too soon to leave?”
“I don’t hate my job, but I’m not learning anything new.”
“Everyone else seems to be thriving, am I falling behind?”
If you’re in your 20s and asking yourself questions like these, you’re not alone.
More than ever, Gen Z professionals are navigating career decisions in a world shaped by constant change - from AI disruption to global instability, to social media’s pressure to “make it big” by 25.
In coaching young professionals, one theme keeps showing up:
A deep fear of making the wrong move and getting stuck.
But what if we reframed that fear? What if uncertainty is not a signal that you're failing but a healthy checkpoint for growth?
Let’s explore three distinct phases of career reflection, and how neuroscience can support smarter, braver decisions.
1. “I Know I’m on the Right Path” Even If It’s Not Perfect
Sometimes you do feel certain. The job may be tough or slow, but you can see how it’s helping you build the skills or experience needed for your long-term goals.
This is the alignment phase - you know why you're doing what you're doing.
🧠 What neuroscience says: When your daily efforts are connected to a bigger goal, your brain releases dopamine, which reinforces motivation and persistence (Aarts et al., 2012). Even if the task feels mundane, having a clear purpose activates the brain’s reward system and keeps you emotionally invested.
👉 What to do:
Stay intentional about your learning.
Keep revisiting your "why" as it evolves.
Track small wins to stay grounded in progress.
2. “I’m Not Sure Why I’m Staying But I’m Staying”
This is the exploration phase - you're unsure, but not miserable enough to quit. You feel the itch to move, but the direction isn’t clear yet.
Here’s where many professionals get stuck.
The key here isn’t to push through blindly, but to turn passive waiting into active exploration.
✅ Give yourself a deadline - indecision feeds on open timelines.
✅ Talk to people in and outside your field. Go to industry events. Ask questions.
✅ Seek mentorship, informational interviews, and career communities.
🧠 What neuroscience says: Engaging in exploratory conversations activates the prefrontal cortex, which helps you process new options and reduce emotional overwhelm (Schweiger & Denison, 2020). In short, curiosity calms anxiety.
👉 What to do:
Set aside time to explore without pressure to act immediately.
Write down patterns in what energizes you (and what drains you).
Reflect regularly: clarity comes from exposure, not overthinking.
3. “I Know This Isn’t for Me And I’m Ready to Move”
You’ve explored your options, done the research, and still feel disconnected. You’re not growing, not learning, and can’t picture yourself staying much longer.
This is the transition phase and it’s often met with doubt from others.
✔️ You’ve sought advice, weighed your options, and identified a next step.
✔️ You’ve found a path that feels more aligned, even if it’s unfamiliar.
✔️ You’re choosing courage over comfort.
🧠 What neuroscience says: Acting in alignment with your values activates the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, associated with self-confidence and emotional regulation (Bartra et al., 2013). The more you make values-based decisions, the more trust you build in yourself.
👉 What to do:
Prepare for change: update your resume, grow your network, test new roles.
Expect resistance - not everyone will understand your decision.
Anchor to your reasons not to others’ approval.
The Real Debate: Stay or Go?
The fear behind most career doubt is this:
“What if I leave too soon and miss an opportunity?”
vs.
“What if I stay too long in something that isn’t right?”
Older generations might say: “Just stick it out.”
But Gen Z? You’re explorers. You’re wired to question, adapt, and build.
That’s why so many of today’s youngest leaders have non-linear paths - bouncing between industries, passions, and side projects, turning uncertainty into growth.
Leaving early doesn’t mean giving up.
Sometimes it means knowing enough to move forward with clarity and purpose.
Redefining Success in Uncertain Times
Gen Z grew up in a world of constant crisis - from climate change to COVID to AI disruption. You’re not just choosing jobs. You’re choosing how to stay resilient in a world that rarely feels stable.
That’s why the real skill is learning how to navigate, reflect, and move with intention.
And that’s what builds long-term confidence: not having all the answers, but knowing you can trust yourself to keep asking the right questions.
If you’re in one of these phases, which one are you in right now? And what would make it easier to move forward with confidence?
Let’s keep the conversation going.
Your Coach,
Jocelyne
Further Reading & References
Aarts, H., Custers, R., & Marien, H. (2012). Priming and the Regulation of Goal-Directed Behavior. Motivation and Emotion, 36(4), 465–477.
Bartra, O., McGuire, J. T., & Kable, J. W. (2013). The valuation system: A coordinate-based meta-analysis of BOLD fMRI experiments examining neural correlates of subjective value. NeuroImage, 76, 412–427.
Schweiger, D., & Denison, D. (2020). Exploration, Learning, and Performance in Turbulent Environments. Journal of Organizational Behavior.
Duckworth, A. (2016). Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance.
Herminia Ibarra (2003). Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career.
Jenny Blake (2021). Free Time: Lose the Busywork, Love Your Business (for career pivoters and solopreneurs).
Harvard Business Review: “Career Pivots in the Age of Uncertainty”
