Like you, I’m always thinking about what’s next. (Yes, I wish I could be more zen, present and content in each moment, but the truth is I have to keep practicing those skills. Maybe you can relate.)

In the past, I’ve defaulted to figuring out what’s next all by myself. That’s a no-win space (and no fun, either). Then I learned to hire a coach, which works wonders to help you see clearly (yes, I am one and have one.)

But this time when I asked myself “what’s next?” for Red Cape Revolution, I decided to ask the experts: YOU.

After all, it’s you who takes the time to read this blog, subscribe to our email career tips, and share our tools on Facebook or LinkedIn.  It’s you who we aspire to help revolutionize your life at work, in ways that work for you.

So we recently conducted a three-pronged reader survey (you picked the one right for you)—a 2 minute survey, a 5 minute survey, or a 15 minute phone interview. (If you missed it and would still like to contribute, get started here.) No matter what time you gave, the results spoke volumes.

Here’s what you told me, and what it will mean for what’s next for YOU here at Red Cape Revolution.

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Your Biggest Challenge: “What’s Next for Me?”

Revolutionizing the way we work at work means figuring out fresh new ways to face our oldest obstacles. We asked you to tell us the biggest challenges you were facing in your career right now, and here’s the top five you shared (you could pick more than one—that’s why these numbers don’t add to 100%):

1. Not knowing what’s next (56% of you)
2. Not getting promoted or visibly moving ahead (36%)
3. Finding ways to use my best skills more often (29%)
4. Not feeling content or satisfied (26%)
5. Finding ways to be less stressed and overwhelmed (22%)

To illustrate, you shared comments like:[blockquote]I don’t feel like I’m where I am supposed to be. I feel like I could be doing more with my career.

Sometimes I have nagging doubts  whether I’m really working in my greatest area of strength.

Not knowing what’s next for me is my biggest challenge. I love what I do but where do I go from here? [/blockquote]

I can relate. A few months ago, I wrote Fantasy & Reality (or How to Make Change Happen Now) looking back on a time in my life when I felt stuck in my career, even though it looked on paper like I had an amazing job with an amazing company (which was true, too.)

Like you, I wondered what was next, I felt overwhelmed and a little lost even though I knew I had something special to share with the world. So I know from personal experience how emotionally, intellectually, spiritually and even physically exhausting it is to wonder and worry about what’s next for your career.

That makes me even more committed to uncovering and sharing strategies and programs for you to get unstuck faster and get back to your amazing superpower self sooner. (Don’t forget we have a library of ideas on our Free Tools page right now to get you started, too.)

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A New Insight: the Request for Courage

In the past, I’ve focused on helping you get more of the three things I’ve learned through my research that we all need to soar in our careers—Clarity, Confidence, and Control. But it feels like a fourth C is emerging: Courage.

When I asked,  “If you could take a superpill that would help you overcome your biggest challenge, what would that pill do?” here’s what you said:[blockquote]The pill would give me the words and courage to express to our executives how damaging these yo-yo initiatives are.

It would give me courage to ask for opportunities when I meet people.

Sometimes small setbacks throw me into doubt. The pill would make me believe in me first.[/blockquote]

Wow. It takes courage even to share that, and I’m honored that you did.

Again, we have this in common. Because I’m seeking courage, too.

To play bigger. Serve you better. Impact more people like you. To make hard choices about who I want to be, where I want to be, how I want to spend more of my time and where I need to spend less.

So we’ll be integrating more courage-building, career-changing ideas here over time, both for you and for me. Watch for more to come, and I welcome your ideas, success stories, and struggles. (It’s easy to just email me.)

So What Now?

It’d be a wasted effort to ask for your thoughts if I wasn’t going to do anything with them. So here are actions we’ve figured out so far:

• We’ll be launching a full content and tool inventory this summer to make sure the solutions we’ve already created on your top 5 challenges are easy to find and easy for you to use.

[framed_box]To do this, I’ll be building a volunteer SWAT team of 2-3 people who can spend an hour or two a week for a month to read, advise on and organize the best of our career and workplace content. In return for their brilliance, they’ll each get a six-month package of my career and success coaching. Look for a detailed description soon, but if you or someone you know is interested, email me and I’ll make sure you get the details.[/framed_box]

• We’ll also dig deeper into the ways others are building—and demonstrating courage at work. I have some initial thoughts on this, including a career courage challenge, but will likely be back to ask you more. (Again, if you have suggestions right now, I’m all ears.)

• Also, since so many of you said you continue to find answers through reading, I’ll announce my next book project before the end of 2014. (Yikes!)
  • It’s been a couple years since I launched “[amazon_link id=”0983987408″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Bring Your Superpowers to Work: Your Guide to More Clarity, Confidence & Control”[/amazon_link] and you’ve taught me a few things since then. And of course we’ll keep writing and sharing here on RedCapeRevolution.com.

Thanks again for sharing your insights and ideas (and again, if you’d still like to, find out how here.) It’s incredibly valuable and insightful, and makes me want to work even harder to help you bring your superpowers to work.

YOUR TURN: What’s the biggest challenge you have in your career? Share in the Comments below. And thanks!