It’s a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there. That’s how I feel about “Someday Isle.”
What’s Someday Isle, you ask? It’s the place people who are always saying, “Someday I’ll…” go after a while.
Getting stuck on Someday Isle comes from saying things like:
- Someday I’ll look for a more fulfilling role.
- Someday I’ll make the shift to a purpose-driven organization.
- Someday I’ll explore board work, consulting, or entrepreneurship.
- Someday I’ll finally prioritize my own growth.
- Someday I’ll redefine what success means for me.
These thoughts sound ambitious…like you’ve got a plan. They even feel good for a moment. You tell yourself you’re aiming higher, that your career is still moving up and to the right. They feel strategic, like you’re in control. But said too often, they can become a holding pattern that keeps you grounded on Someday Isle.
It’s comfortable there. Familiar. Low risk. You’re doing well enough. You’re respected. The stakes are high. Why shake things up?
But here’s the catch: keep saying “Someday I’ll” too often, and you’re no longer passing through…you’ve checked your bags at Someday Isle. As the Eagles sang in Hotel California, “You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.”
Someday Isle lulls you into comfort. It’s safe, familiar. There’s no pressure to act, only the illusion of future action. The longer you stay, the harder it becomes to leave.
Leaving Someday Isle requires courage and clarity. It means recognizing when “good” is no longer good enough and having the strategic foresight to act before career inertia turns to career regret.
Ask yourself:
- Are you genuinely aligned with where you are and where you’re headed?
- Does your current role reflect the impact you still want to make?
- If you weren’t already here, would you actively choose this path again?
If any answer is no, it might be time to pilot your next move.
You’ve already built a successful career—now it’s about building one that’s meaningful to you right now. That starts by replacing “Someday I’ll…” with “Today I will…”
You don’t have to live under the weight of someday.
You’re allowed to move forward.
No more waiting.
Start packing.
It’s time to leave Someday Isle and chart a path for the next leg of your journey.
