The 'aha' moment that changes your career

By Senior News Editor Cayla Dengate

Some call it an epiphany. Others call it a life-changing realisation. I like the term 'aha' moment, because it encapsulates that feeling of exclaiming, "Wow! I get it now."

Today's workforce can be a complex environment, where we need all the help we can get to come to these 'aha' moments. So I asked eight professionals to share the discovery that changed the way they understood the world of work. Watch the video for eight powerful 'aha' moments in 90 seconds.

It was one of these moments that led workplace expert Michelle Gibbings to leave her "challenging and not fun" corporate job.

"In earlier years I'd been seeking security and I realised I didn't need that security anymore. What I needed was autonomy — the freedom to be me," she said.

Business strategist AJ Kulatunga says his biggest career 'aha' moment came, "when I started approaching my career like an entrepreneur not an employee — all of a sudden I started to unlock all these amazing opportunities."

"See, employees take stuff. They want a salary, they want leave, whereas entrepreneurs actually look for opportunities to create value," he said.

For The Culture Ministry CEO Lisa Mulligan , it was the realisation that she didn't need to know absolutely everything about her job.

"Whatever field you work in, you can't possibly know everything," she said. "It was so liberating to be able to let go of the idea that to become a leader and an expert in my field, that I would have to know everything."

Australian School of Entrepreneurship CEO Jahin Tanvir 's realisation was that "everybody is figuring it out as they go". He says that helped him to see leadership as a life-long pursuit as opposed to something you attain.

What's your career 'aha' moment? Share your take in the comments below.

Got one minute? That's enough time to do some learning. Check out this nano tip for conscious communication.

We will share a new unlocked LinkedIn Learning course each edition. Be sure to subscribe to Get Hired Australia NZ.

• What do you wish you knew about work before you started your career? Here's what professionals are saying.
• Want better pay? Spare a thought for arts workers. Here's why many artists are paid 30% less than the national average.
• Have you ever been given a 'feedback sandwich'? Here's why there are better ways to give constructive criticism.