Everything looks perfect from the outside. So, it was no surprise to me when someone told me they couldn’t believe I had slumps in my career.

Because from the outside, I had made my way to Managing Director and then COO of Morgan Stanley Europe.

I worked on deals worth billions of dollars, improved the company’s market share, drove a new business to market leader, grew revenues by double-digits, and won awards and accolades for the firm. And I had the trappings of success to show for it all.

My career (and life) looked perfect from the outside. But, it wasn't all “smooth sailing”.

At times, it felt like I was stuck in a full-on career slump while others zoomed ahead. From being reorganized out of a job to getting passed over for promotion, each setback felt devastating.

One of my most challenging slumps

I was a Managing Director in London and ended up doing the same job for 5-6 years. A long stretch for someone who gets bored every couple of years!

I had managed to upset my main sponsor, and without even realizing it, had become persona non grata. Fewer opportunities were available at that senior level, and he wasn’t putting me forward for any of them.

He kept canceling whenever I tried to meet with him. When I finally caught him in the hallway one day, his words were something like, “Be glad you have a job.”

His message was clear: stop whining and get back to work. I felt stuck.

But I eventually realized that if I couldn’t “do what I love”, I’d have to “learn to love what I do”. So I dug in, kept going, and focused on enjoying what I could.

Then something unexpected happened.

A senior leader who had seen my work over the years offered me a new opportunity. That new role used my strengths and eventually expanded into the COO position for Europe.

This is proof that even in the toughest slumps, something can shift if you stay open and ready.

My 3 steps to getting out of a career slump

Career slumps can happen to anyone. The ‘trick’ is knowing how to get out of one.

So, here are the three steps I used to get out of one of the most challenging slumps of my career. If things aren’t going smoothly for you right now, these steps can help you too.

1. Remind yourself of what you’re like at your best

The first step to getting beyond what one client called the “struggle bus” is to reconnect with your best self.

When you’re struggling, it’s all too easy to let your inner critic take over and bog you down with negative thoughts. Resist it.

I know that when I’m at my best, I’m patient, I think on my feet, and I bring out the best in those around me. Reminding myself of this helped to shift my mindset and show up differently, even when I wasn’t in my dream role at the time.

What about you – what are you like at your best? What qualities or strengths can you reconnect with that will help you move forward?

2. Identify the conditions you need to thrive

Just like plants need the right conditions to grow, so do we.

I thrive when I have challenging new projects, autonomy, and opportunities to innovate. But during that period of my career, I was stagnating in a role I had grown out of. I wasn’t thriving because the conditions weren’t right for me anymore.

With no obvious way forward, I knew I needed to either find ways to enjoy what I was doing or change my environment entirely.

Beyond work, it’s also essential to get what you need to perform at your best. That means getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and finding moments of joy outside of your job.

What conditions do you need to be at your best? Are there changes you can make to create a better environment for yourself?

3. Focus on what you can control or influence

Not everything is within your control, but there’s usually something you can influence. The key is to focus on what you can change and find ways to make the rest more bearable – even energizing.

I couldn’t change my sponsor’s opinion of me, but I could reframe my perspective and find ways to make my situation more enjoyable.

So I leaned into taking care of my wonderful team, ran three times a week and joined a book club. I even returned to playing the piano after a 20-year break, only it was jazz instead of classical this time.

Stay open and ready to get back on track

We all hit bumps in our careers.

If things aren’t going smoothly for you right now, know that something can shift and get you back on track when you stay open and ready.

Which of these steps will help you get off the “struggle bus” and set you up for success going forward?