Moonshot Mentor with Laverne McKinnon

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit moonshotmentor.substack.comWhat most people don’t understand is that growing your career is completely different from scaling your career. Growth and scaling are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. Depending on where you’re at in your career trajectory, you may want to consider scaling rather than growing.Growth is about increasing your output—taking on more projects, acquiring new skills, or advancing to a higher position. There’s often a correlation between the hours you put in and the progress you make. That kind of progression has value, but it can also be exhausting and lead to burn out. Growth also tends to be linear—one step at a time with each new opportunity demanding more work, time, or resources.Scaling, on the other hand, is about expanding your impact without a proportional increase in effort. Think optimizing systems, relationships, and strategies so you can achieve more without the burn out. For example, rather than networking endlessly, you cultivate a handful of key relationships that open multiple doors. Instead of taking on every opportunity, you focus on the ones that truly align with your long-term goals.

Facing a career setback can be incredibly painful, yet society often pressures us to ignore our feelings. Instead of just sucking it up, embracing the emotional impact of failure is crucial. Exploring the concept of 'renewal rituals' offers practical ways to heal and move forward. Personal stories underline the commonality of disappointment, especially in creative fields. Strategies like writing farewell letters and journaling can aid in processing grief and preparing for new opportunities.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit moonshotmentor.substack.comThere’s nothing that tests our endurance like launching and sustaining a career. Sometimes, it feels like the sheer grit and drive it takes could power a spaceship into another galaxy. There’s the studying and training to hone our craft, accruing 10,000 hours to gain mastery, building the “right” relationships, and, of course, hoping a little luck falls like fairy dust on our career dreams.It’s no wonder so many of us experience burnout.Recently, I came across a study that blew my mind (thank you to my brilliant friend and filmmaker Uttera Singh @uttera for sharing it with me) about migrating bats. It gave me an entirely new way to think about the impatience I often feel when trying to hit career goals.

Feeling stuck in your career? Discover insights on the common reasons behind this frustration, from external biases and company politics to internal doubts. Learn that waiting for confidence can hinder progress, and that busyness doesn’t equal achievement. Understand the importance of building relationships and making choices aligned with your true self. Recognize that feeling stagnant is just feedback, and explore small, intentional shifts that can reignite your momentum toward success.

Once a month, I’ll be breaking away from my normal blog and video format to bring you some short, guided meditations. You can also watch them on my YouTube channel, where I am still posting videos every week.I hope that they help bring some ease to your every day. Please let me know if you enjoy them as I love hearing your feedback!If you like what you’re reading, please subscribe or share. It will help me reach my moonshot of 5000 subscribers. I write more about why I have paid subscriptions here.🙌🏾  Questions? Would you like additional support in career transitions? I offer private coaching sessions as well as in-person and virtual group work. Reach out directly here to set up a complimentary consultation. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit moonshotmentor.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit moonshotmentor.substack.comThe one step you can take that will make all the difference between stagnating and thriving in your career: know your why.What truly sets apart those who thrive isn’t just talent or experience—it’s clarity about their why, a deep understanding of the purpose behind their work. Knowing your why fuels your drive, brings deeper satisfaction when you achieve goals, and gives you resilience to overcome inevitable challenges.A simple metaphor to bring the importance of your why alive: Imagine running a marathon knowing that crossing the finish line will cure cancer. Wouldn’t that kind of purpose give you the energy to train, care for injuries, fuel your body, get the right gear, and build the support team you need to finish strong?What is Your Why?Your why is your inner motivation—the reason you show up every day. It’s not tied to titles, paychecks, or recognition. It’s about the impact you want to make and what you care about most, even if no one notices.Your why is your reason for being that acknowledges your natural talents and how you use them to make a difference in the world.Your why isn’t your job or career. Your job is just one way you live out your purpose.Every client I’ve worked with who has clarity about their why has been able to overcome challenges that once seemed impossible. Take my client Gigi, for example. After 18 years as an analyst at Boeing—a job she landed right out of college—she was laid off. At first, she was devastated. Her work had always been a source of pride, and her career goals were centered around building stability: starting a family and saving for retirement. But after the layoff, she realized that job security wasn’t a real why.Gigi took the time to reevaluate her purpose and “start from square one.” Through our work together, she rediscovered her passion for solving unsolvable problems and (ironically) her talent for long-term thinking. She also realized how much she cared about leaving the world a better place for her kids. Her new why became clear: combining her love of problem-solving with her data analysis skills to help create a more sustainable future for generations to come. Today, Gigi is interviewing for roles as a sustainability analyst, where she can help companies reduce their carbon footprint while living out her purpose.Finding Your WhyTo connect with your why and use it to move forward, ask yourself:* What do you love to do? What brings you joy and makes you lose track of time? These often align with your natural talents.* What are you good at? If you’re unsure, ask friends or colleagues for feedback.* What breaks your heart? What feels intolerable in the world that you wish you could change?Write Your Purpose StatementOnce you’ve reflected on these questions, write your why statement. Here’s a simple structure to follow:* What you love …* What you’re good at …* What you’re called to change …I know this might feel daunting so I’m going to give you two examples. One from me and one from a client.* What I love: I love to bring structure to chaos through planning, organization and strategy. I love to learn and share knowledge. I love to create community and brave spaces where people can be vulnerable so they can find connection, community and belonging.* What I’m good at: listening, project management, editing, curriculum development, seeing possibility.* What hurts my heart are barriers to entry and when people believe that they are less than because of a setback.When I tied it all together into a why statement, this is what it looks like:I am an intuitive, compassionate listener, creative problem solver, and highly organized strategist who excels in nurturing safe spaces, project management, curriculum development, and writing. I make grief work in the professional realm socially acceptable so people can fully honor their values, rewrite their narratives, return to wholeness, and hit their moonshot with grace.When writing your statement, use the present tense. Saying, “I am an intuitive, compassionate listener” is far more powerful than, “I hope to become an intuitive, compassionate listener.”Clara’s Story: Living Her WhyClara, a marketing director, felt stuck. She thought success meant climbing the ladder, but promotions and pay raises left her unfulfilled. To find clarity, she asked herself:* What do I love? Storytelling and helping others communicate their value.* What am I good at? Simplifying complex ideas and making them relatable.* What breaks my heart? Seeing people struggle to tell their stories.Here’s Clara’s why statement:I am a compassionate storyteller and skilled communicator who excels at simplifying complex ideas and making them relatable. I am passionate about helping underdogs—like small business owners and individuals who face bias—find their voice and share their value with the world. My purpose is to empower others to tell their stories with clarity and confidence, so they can overcome obstacles, connect meaningfully, and thrive in the face of adversity.With this clarified why, Clara started to refocus her work. But there was a challenge: her boss didn’t see the value in shifting resources to support smaller businesses, which seemed less prestigious than working with big-budget clients. Clara had to advocate for her vision. She gathered data, shared case studies, and rallied her team to support fresh, creative ideas.Her why gave her the clarity and confidence to push through resistance. Clara launched a pilot campaign for small businesses, which strengthened client relationships and energized her team. The success reignited Clara’s passion and eventually led to a VP role where she continues to align her work with her purpose and inspire others.Bottom LineKnowing your why turns your career into more than just a series of tasks—it becomes a meaningful journey that reflects your strengths and values. Your purpose gives you the clarity to face challenges, the resilience to grow through them, and the energy to achieve meaningful goals. When you center your why, you create momentum that inspires others and opens doors you never imagined.Journal PromptsSometimes the idea of knowing your why feels exciting. Other times, it can feel overwhelming, even intimidating. These prompts are designed to help you get curious about what your why means to you and how it can show up in your career. Take a little time to think about each one, and see what surfaces.If you like what you’re reading, please subscribe or share. It will help me reach my moonshot of 5000 subscribers. I write more about why I have paid subscriptions here.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit moonshotmentor.substack.comWhen I was fired from CBS back in 2006, all I could do was replay over and over and over the mistakes I made—everything from speaking up in a meeting when I should have kept quiet to making a snarky comment on an email and accidentally hitting "reply all" to not managing the tone of my voice when I would get frustrated.My inner dialogue was harsh and punishing and pushed me further into a depression. I know I’m not alone in this. One of my clients almost quit her beloved career as a result of a mistake.It’s Random Act of Kindness Day, and I challenge you to forgive yourself for a mistake as an act of radical self-kindness. If your stomach drops at the thought, stay with me. You can start small: “I forgive myself for not responding to that email in a timely way.”Forgiving yourself, one mistake at a time, is a transformative process. It lightens the emotional weight you carry and helps you move past the drudgery of self-criticism.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit moonshotmentor.substack.comFew moments in life feel as destabilizing as when everything you’ve worked for comes undone in an instant.I recently came across a LinkedIn post from Alexandra Long, PhD, who shared her story about a devastating career setback. She had just graduated with her doctorate in clinical psychology from American University and signed a final job offer to begin work as a staff psychologist at a federal agency. Then came the news: her job offer was rescinded due to the Presidential Memorandum on the federal hiring freeze.I don’t know Dr. Long, but her post struck a chord with me. A setback like hers is one I’ve seen many clients face. It’s disorienting, frustrating, and entirely outside your control.But while you can’t control what happened, you can take ownership of the story you tell yourself about it. Stories like, “I wasted my time,” “I’ll never have another chance like this,” or “I’m aging out” may feel automatic, but they aren’t the truth. If these thoughts sound familiar, it’s time to rewrite your story.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit moonshotmentor.substack.comWhat happens when the world tells you to settle for less than what you know you’re capable of? Mae C. Jemison, the first Black woman to travel into space, faced that question head-on. Her answer was simple: "Don't let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity." These words are a powerful reminder for anyone with big dreams—a moonshot, really.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit moonshotmentor.substack.comI used to hate networking. It felt clunky, false and forced because I wanted my entire network to feel deeply meaningful. Then I realized I was approaching networking as one-size-fits-all. Turns out not every relationship has to be long-term and “Kumbaya.” Some networking is purely transactional, and that’s okay. The problem is when we mix the two approaches (relational and transactional) or don’t understand their distinct purposes.By recognizing the difference, you can approach networking with clarity and intention. So, how do you know when to lean on transactional networking versus building a trust-based, long-term relationship? The answer can ease your anxiety and help you feel more confident—even if you’re worried you have "nothing to offer."