“It’s OK to be a late bloomer as long as you don’t miss the flower show.” —Jane Fonda

That’s a quote that today’s guest, Jenna Valovic, pulled to remind herself that not all of us are what she calls straight arrows when it comes to career paths, landing on a singular purpose early without wavering, and experiencing success and achievement from a young age.

Late bloomers, on the other hand, can learn to embrace the winding road—at least once they stop shaming and blaming themselves for not having it all figured out yet.

After all, as Jenna says, “Few things make you appreciate achievement more than waiting years to experience it. Consequently, many late bloomers find success to be even more savory when it comes.”

Listen in to this week’s conversation for strategies on embracing the best parts of being a late bloomer, while having patience in the process of self-discovery and self-expression.

More About Jenna: Jenna Valovic is a Certified Professional Co-Active Career Coach (CPCC) who brings an open mind and holistic lens to help clients build a life that feels impactful, aligned, and fully in integrity. She is one of our Pivot coaches, and holds a masters degree in leadership and organizational development, with a background in positive psychology, breathwork, and vinyasa yoga. We met many years ago through Google, where Jenna has worked for nearly a decade, most recently in executive recruiting.

🌟 3 Key Takeaways

Three qualities of late bloomers: They take a circuitous path; they tend to be experimental, rather than conceptual; and they are often misunderstood.
Own your choices while still considering the soil you’re currently planted in: “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you don’t fix the flower, you fix the environment.”
Hindsight is helpful: Often the outcome of where you end up is so much better than what you could have imagined, so make a practice of reflecting on where you’ve been and the accomplishments that brought you to where you are now.

✅ Try This Next: Set up a small, low-stakes pilot (even at an hour a week) for something sparking your curiosity. Park your insecurities on the side while embracing a “willful suspension of disbelief.”

🔗 Resources Mentioned

📚 Books Mentioned

Free Time: Lose the Busywork, Love Your Business
Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One
Life After College
Switchers: How Smart Professionals Change Careers and Seize Success by Dr. Dawn Graham
The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self by Martha Beck
Late Bloomers: The Power of Patience in a World Obsessed with Early Achievement by Rich Karlgaard

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