The Power of a Breakthrough Strategy: How to Design Your Career Transition

If you're feeling unfulfilled in your current career and sensing there’s something more meaningful out there, you’re likely in need of re-evaluating your path.

• Perhaps you’ve noticed a growing sense of disengagement during your workday or feel anxious about being confined to a role that doesn’t foster personal or professional growth. That anxiety is valuable data.
• Maybe you're even contemplating an exit from the “corporate rat race” in favor of becoming an entrepreneur, social entrepreneur, or philanthropist—something that would align more closely with your desire to create and contribute meaningfully.

Understanding these feelings is crucial, as they’re often signals urging you to explore new directions. Rather than waiting for external events to dictate your course, take the reins proactively by analyzing your options with an experienced strategist.

• By doing so, you can gain a fresh perspective on the professional paths available and develop a compelling new vision for yourself—one that aligns with who you truly are and who you want to become.

Through a structured process, you can connect deeply with your values and true purpose, creating your Career Transition Strategy. This tailored strategy will guide you in making informed, confident choices about your future. By investing in this journey, you position yourself to build a new career stage filled with achievement, fulfillment, and a profound sense of meaning.

The Power of a Breakthrough Strategy

As a Leadership Performance Strategist, I empower leaders and their teams to transcend limits and achieve Peak Performance, applying insights gained from coaching world-class athletes to help leaders go “beyond personal best.”

My role is to guide leaders in designing a personal blueprint for success—one that is anchored in strategic foresight and built on the conviction that achievement stems from both desire and disciplined action.

• As a strategic partner and a catalyst of breakthrough results, I work closely with leaders to challenge perspectives, cultivate fresh visions, and implement innovative growth strategies that drive meaningful contributions.

I’m an unabashed optimist who believes that by shifting mindsets and “seeing the glass as full and a half,” leaders can not only meet but exceed expectations, transforming potential into reality.

• My private and corporate clients share a common drive: they seek to make a significant impact and create an enduring legacy. They are united by a deep desire for fulfillment, a passion to contribute profoundly, and a hunger to leave a path for others to follow.

Working with top performers has taught me that true achievement extends beyond external accolades; it involves the discovery of one’s unique identity, the creation of lasting value, and the commitment to leave a legacy for others to build upon.

• Meaningful accomplishment requires actively designing the future, so that it aligns with our deepest values and purpose. When leaders take ownership of this journey, they not only transform themselves but also create positive change for those around them.
• In today’s volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world, leaders must develop the capacity for adaptive thinking. This means going beyond time management to harness energy, prioritize well-being, anticipate future scenarios, and nurture trust—the most valuable capital for any individual or organization. In the decades to come, the ability to design breakthrough solutions will be a vital leadership skill.

The future belongs to those who master the art of Breakthrough Design—a practice of foresight, swift reaction, resilience, and adaptive thinking. This is the essence of leadership today: crafting agile strategies, embracing uncertainty, and transforming challenges into opportunities.

It’s about building a legacy that thrives through resilience and foresight, one that paves the way for future generations to lead with strength, vision, and integrity.

“Carlos is a true all-rounder. A real "Renaissance man" (performance coach, superb tennis player, writer and consultant are just a few of his many occupations), he generates affection and admiration in all people he works with. As a serious and keen listener, he is able to build a warm and productive dialogue that helps you get to the core issues. I sincerely recommend him as a real peak performer who speaks from experience. Carlos has organized programs and advised my teams in the fields of improving performance and career coaching both at ABN AMRO and at HSBC. His participation has always been successful. He is a clear, open, insightful and interesting coach. I sincerely recommend Carlos. If you are looking for new ways to enhance performance, identify your strengths and map a plan for your team, he is the man." - Walter Kiceleff, CEO of Farmers New World Life Insurance Company IMD, Bellevue, WA, USA

Why Executives Seek a Career Transition

Through my four decades as a consultant, I've observed that these key factors frequently mobilize leaders to realign their careers with deeper goals of meaningful achievement and purpose-driven impact - beyond their desire to increase their compensation packages:

1. Purpose and Values Alignment?

Executives often reach a point where their personal values may no longer align with their organization’s mission or actions. A career change allows for the pursuit of roles and industries where they can feel more authentically connected, pursuing work that resonates with their core beliefs and sense of purpose.

2. Desire for Greater Impact?

Many leaders feel the need to contribute beyond their immediate responsibilities and seek opportunities to make a meaningful difference in the world. This drive to positively impact society, innovate within their field, or address pressing global challenges often motivates them to explore careers that offer a platform for larger contributions.

3. Quest for Personal Growth and Challenge?

Executives who have reached a plateau in their current roles may crave new challenges that foster personal and professional development. A career change presents the chance to step out of their comfort zones, embrace novel experiences, and push the boundaries of their capabilities to achieve new levels of success.

4. Work-Life Balance and Well-Being?

Many executives experience burnout and seek greater balance and well-being. They often desire careers that provide the flexibility and culture to prioritize health, family, and personal interests, while still allowing them to pursue fulfilling work.

5. Desire to Build a Lasting Legacy?

For many seasoned leaders, leaving behind a legacy that transcends their career becomes a priority. They aim to create lasting value, whether through mentorship, innovation, or contributing to societal advancement. A career change can open doors to positions where they can shape a legacy that reflects their lifetime of experience, values, and vision for future generations.

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"I have worked with Carlos during my career transition with his Peak Performance program. I have loved the idea to apply to executives the same approach used by elite sports athletes. At the end of the day, we have many challenges in common. Carlos did a magnificent job teaching me some of the lessons he taught Peak Performers and it has paid off big time. Thanks!" - Marcelo Cloes, Director, Global Marketing Lab Automation, Grifols, Spain/USA.

Your Career Transition Self-Evaluation

Use this self-evaluation tool to pinpoint specific areas of your career where a transition might offer greater alignment, fulfillment, and impact. You can rank each statement as (1) Needs Consideration, (2) Urgent/Important, or (3) Critical/Essential:

1. Purpose and Values Alignment:?

I feel a strong need for my work to reflect my core values and personal beliefs, aligning with a mission I can fully support.

2. Authentic Connection:?

I desire a role where I can engage in meaningful work that resonates with my deeper sense of identity and integrity.

3. Desire for Greater Impact:?

I feel compelled to expand my influence, contributing to initiatives that make a significant difference in society or within my industry.

4. Contribution Beyond Immediate Responsibilities:?

I am motivated to work on projects or initiatives that allow me to address critical challenges and drive positive change.

5. Quest for Personal Growth and Challenge:?

I seek new challenges and opportunities to grow professionally and personally, feeling ready to explore beyond my current role.

6. Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone:?

I am open to embracing new experiences that stretch my capabilities and push me toward greater achievements.

7. Work-Life Balance and Well-Being:?

I recognize the importance of maintaining a balanced life and prioritize my health, family, and personal interests alongside my career.

8. Burnout and Need for Renewal:?

I have reached a point where I desire a work environment that supports flexibility and well-being, helping me recharge and thrive.

9. Desire to Build a Lasting Legacy:?

I feel driven to leave a meaningful legacy through my work, creating lasting value that impacts others beyond my career.

10. Future Vision and Mentorship:?

I aspire to shape the future by mentoring others, innovating within my field, and advancing a vision that will benefit future generations.

Prioritizing Your Self-Evaluation Results:

• Observe the ranking of your answers and divide them in three columns, according to (1) Needs Consideration, (2) Urgent/Important, or (3) Critical/Essential.
• Highlight the top two answers in each column. Below, or in a separate page, rate the importance of each one as a motivator to seek a career change (from 1 to 10).
• Keep reading below. You will be able to refine your exploration through specific prompts.

“Carlos is profound in so many ways. When you are working with him, there is no way to avoid having a commitment to raising the bar for yourself. His quiet strength and amazing passion is inspiring and makes you want to dig deeper for a better sense of self and your moon shot. I cannot thank him enough for his work with me and his friendship. He is an amazing coach, teacher of life and purpose, and person. If you ever get a chance to work with him do it, it should not be a thought! If you ever get to have tea, coffee, or wine with him then you have really made it – the conversations will leave an impression that resonates in all you do!” - Sharai Lavoie, MBA, CPA, CGMA | CEO/ Managing Member, Lavoie CPA, Charlotte, NC, USA

Focusing Your Career Strategy on Breakthrough

My definition: Breakthrough is intentionally declaring that the glass is full and a half.

My definition is an intellectual invitation to envision “what can be” and craft a life unbound by limitations. This is a deliberate worldview—one I actively cultivate and embody.

• As someone who has reinvented my own life across the realms of professional sports, business, and the arts, I’m living proof that transformation is not only possible but can be sustained. My diverse experiences are woven into a strategic toolkit that empowers ambitious individuals to see their potential as a glass “full and a half” and to lead from a future they purposefully design.
• In today’s global economy, Breakthrough Thinking has become an essential skill. As most corporations focus on repositioning, redeveloping, and regenerating, the most forward-thinking among them are seeking to go beyond traditional capitalism, aiming to create a more innovative and sustainable business landscape. This leap requires bold visionaries willing to push past the status quo.

Breakthrough Thinking clears the path for authentic achievement and leadership, empowering you to go “Beyond Personal Best.” This journey becomes an expression of your unique strengths, an opportunity to create new value, and a legacy that others can build upon.

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Key Markers of Breakthrough

• Breakthrough is transformation—a deliberate disruption in the process of incremental improvement, propelling you into a new state, configuration, or identity sooner than expected. It’s a conscious choice to transcend limitations, to realize unprecedented possibilities, and to accelerate the achievement of ambitious goals, reaching at least 300% beyond your current perceptions of what’s possible.
• At its core, breakthrough is about "value design." It requires imagination, bold provocations, and a willingness to explore innovative alternatives to achieve stretch goals and deliver extraordinary results. This future-focused, self-directed approach to intentional change defies reliance on the past; it is about designing the future—creating new value, envisioning new paths, and seizing new opportunities. Without this proactive design, someone else may set the direction for you.
• As a thinking framework, breakthrough centers on overcoming risks and limitations to fulfill your growth potential. It involves shifting perspectives, changing behaviors, and actively shaping the reality you want to live in. This mindset grants access to your true desires, allowing you to express your deep identity through meaningful accomplishments and a lasting legacy.
• Breakthrough is ultimately a return to wholeness—a journey to reconnect with your authentic self, shedding the armor of conformity to reveal the identity you were born to express. In doing so, you not only elevate yourself but contribute positively to the world around you, enhancing it through your true impact.

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"I met Carlos through a mutual friend when I was needing a reset after a health scare. Carlos immediately helped me start envisioning my moon shot and then work out a plan to achieve it. He helped me not only reset, but also figure out a way where I could systematically reach greater focus and therefore achieve a much higher level of productivity while enjoying more rest. I am extremely thankful to Carlos for his guidance and look to continuing my journey with him as my performance coach!" - Taly Cikurel Brinzey, CEO Summit Properties International LLC, FL, USA

Your Breakthrough Strategy: The Career Transition Thinking Process

The process I suggest below will "sensitize" your thinking and prime it to consider "what matters most" before I can assist you in the creation of a comprehensive strategy that fits your specific needs and aspirations.

This exploration encourages you to rethink your potential, create extraordinary opportunities, and pursue a meaningful career shift that aligns with both personal values and long-term aspirations.

?1. Define Your Core Values and Deep Aspirations

• Begin by identifying the values that truly matter to you and the aspirations that inspire you. Reflect on what drives your passion, what gives you a sense of purpose, and how you want to impact the world.
• This self-reflection will help clarify what’s essential for you to feel aligned, fulfilled, and purposeful in your next career step.

?2. Envision Your Breakthrough: Aim for a 300% Transformation

• Imagine a future that exceeds your current limitations—set a goal at least 300% above what you believe possible. Envision not just incremental progress, but a transformative leap that brings you to a new state of growth and identity.
• This bold goal is your "Breakthrough Vision" and serves as your compass for achieving a life of extraordinary impact and value.

?3. Design and Explore Alternative Pathways

• Approach this next stage as "value design," where you intentionally craft alternative paths that align with your vision. Brainstorm ways to achieve your stretch goals, focusing on innovative ideas, creative provocations, and unconventional strategies.
• This step requires imagination and openness to new perspectives, helping you discover pathways to deliver exceptional results.

?4. Shift Your Mindset: Embrace Future-Based Thinking

• Breakthroughs are fueled by forward-looking, intentional change. Shift your perspective to a proactive, future-oriented mindset that prioritizes new possibilities over past limitations.
• Design your future by identifying the new values, opportunities, and impact you want to create, rather than being shaped by your past experiences or current circumstances.

?5. Embody Your Breakthrough Identity and Act with Purpose

• Breakthrough is a commitment to express your true identity and bring it into your career. Let go of limiting beliefs, and align your actions with the person you want to become.
• This alignment allows you to feel whole, act with integrity, and build an enduring legacy that inspires others. Embody the identity of someone (you) who has already achieved their breakthrough, letting your vision lead you forward.

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"Carlos has been a tremendous resource in helping me establish a new company. He’s helped me transition out of a corporate job, helping me break out of my old way of thinking and patterns of behavior, helping me become more aware of my strengths and capabilities and more confident of making a go of it on my own. He’s been tremendous in helping me explore what my new business will stand for, how to talk about it, what it will deliver, and bringing it all together to develop a solid value proposition. Beyond that Carlos has been very creative in thinking about a variety of different marketing initiatives that will help me get established and achieve success as soon as possible. To top it all off he’s helped me get my golf handicap down to single digits. Whether you’re starting your own business or trying to reach the top of your game in your current role, Carlos without a doubt will help you get there." - Joe Torrez, Performance Improvement and Leadership Effectiveness Consultant, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Your "Deep Dive" Breakthrough Strategy Exploration

The following prompts encourage you to engage in deep reflection and can help you uncover areas for meaningful growth and contribution. Consider the key factors you ranked above in Your Career Transition Self-Evaluation.

1. The thought or challenge that most excites me to go beyond my comfort zone and reach a 300% level of success is __________.
2. If I achieved my deepest goals today and “became who I want to be,” I would feel __________.
3. One bold statement I could make today to set myself on the path to my 300% vision of success is __________.
4. With my success, the way I would aim to improve the lives of others around me is by __________.
5. If I could design a future where I am “the best for the world,” I would contribute by __________.
6. The biggest fear I need to let go of to create a 300% increase in my confidence and impact is __________.
7. A unique strength or quality I can leverage to achieve an extraordinary vision is __________, and I can start using it by __________.
8. To leave a legacy that inspires others, the first significant action I would take today is __________.
9. If I were to fully align my values and talents with my actions, the breakthrough opportunities I would pursue are __________.
10. Imagining myself at my highest potential, one change I can commit to right now to bring that vision closer to reality is __________.

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What Matters Most

Now, I'm confident that you have a deeper appreciation of what designing your Career Transition Strategy can do for you - and those around you.

Investing in a career transition strategy is not just a step towards higher achievement and compensation; it is a profound journey toward fulfillment and meaning in your professional life.

By embracing this development, you unlock the potential to enhance your contributions, not only in terms of tangible results but also in emotional and spiritual resonance.

• This transformation empowers you to align your career with your core values, creating a ripple effect that positively influences those around you.
• Your improved sense of purpose and direction will elevate your engagement with colleagues, clients, and your broader social environment, fostering deeper connections and inspiring others to pursue their own breakthroughs.

Ultimately, this investment in yourself cultivates a legacy of impactful contributions that resonate far beyond the workplace.

Your Next Steps

• Contact me for a Private Consultation
• Learn more about Leadership Performance Strategies
• Join the Live Workshop in Charlotte, NC on Thursday, November 21
• Read "The Glass is Full and a Half" book by Carlos Salum
• List of International Clients
• Client Testimonials