Yesterday I'm sitting in a 40-degree hot spring.

No phone. No notifications. Just me and the silence.

And for the first time in weeks, I had a clear thought about my career.

Not a reactive thought. Not a "I should be doing more" thought.

A real one.

I realized I'd been running on autopilot for months.

Checking LinkedIn obsessively. Responding to every message immediately. Always "on."

The kind of pace that feels productive but actually isn't.

In the onsen, I couldn't escape the question: What am I actually building here?

Am I helping designers because I believe in the work? Or because I'm afraid of slowing down?

The water forces you to sit still. No choice but to be present.

And sitting there, I remembered why I started Career Creators in the first place.

I was tired of watching talented designers get stuck in application loops. Sending hundreds of resumes into the void. Getting nowhere.

I knew there was a better way because I'd lived it.

But somewhere along the line, I'd gotten caught up in the hustle of growing the business instead of the mission of changing how people approach their careers.

The break reminded me what matters.

It's not about building the biggest coaching program.

It's about helping designers stop chasing opportunities and start creating them.

The irony? Taking that mental break made me more focused when I returned.

I stopped saying yes to every partnership request.

I stopped checking metrics every hour.

I started asking: Does this actually help designers land their dream roles?

If not, I don't do it.

This is exactly what I see with the designers I work with.

They're so busy applying to everything that they never pause to ask what they actually want.

Remote or in-person? Startup energy or corporate stability? Leading teams or staying hands-on?

Without that clarity, you end up scattered.

Chasing every opportunity instead of the right ones.

The most successful Career Creators I know take regular breaks from job searching.

Not because they're lazy. Because they're strategic.

They step back. They reflect. They get clear on their direction.

Then they move forward with focus instead of panic.

Reply "Focus" if you've been feeling scattered in your career search and want help getting clear on what you actually want.

Joseph

P.S. The onsen taught me that sometimes the most productive thing you can do is nothing. Your career will be there when you get back. But the clarity you gain from stepping away? That changes everything.