Finding Success Anywhere: Lessons from Laura’s Journey of Change and Connection
In today’s rapidly changing world, success no longer follows a straight, predictable path. The traditional idea of building one career, in one place, for an entire lifetime is fading. Instead, people are now creating portfolio careers — collections of diverse experiences that build adaptable skills and meaningful connections.
Laura, a lawyer and diplomat’s wife, illustrates this transformation vividly. Her journey from “Laura, the lawyer” to global motivator, advocate, and communicator reveals that career success is not defined by titles but by growth, purpose, and connection.
From Lawyer to Global Traveller: A Journey of Redefinition
Laura’s story began in small-town Ohio, where she had no passport until she was eighteen. After earning her law degree, she married a diplomat and faced a defining choice: continue along a secure legal path or follow her husband abroad.
She chose adventure — a decision that took her across seven countries in sixteen years, including Tunisia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Israel, and Vietnam. Yet, early on, the glamour of international life faded into frustration. While her husband’s career advanced, she found herself unemployed, isolated, and unsure of how her legal background fit into a new world.
The turning point came when someone suggested she apply for a job in a mailroom — a stark reminder of how far she might have drifted from her professional identity. For someone who had invested years and thousands of dollars into becoming a lawyer, the idea of sorting mail felt like a loss of purpose.
But that discomfort led to an awakening. Laura realised that her story mirrored that of many others — parents who leave work to raise children, adults who care for ageing parents, or partners who relocate for love. They all share one truth: at times, life choices can appear to derail a career, but they also open the door to reinvention.
The Power of One Question: “If You Could Do Anything, What Would It Be?”
In Hanoi, Laura’s perspective changed completely. Over lunch with new acquaintances, she was asked a question that shifted her entire mindset:
“If you could do anything, what would it be?”
It was a question she hadn’t heard since childhood, and it broke through years of frustration. For the first time, she considered that she wasn’t bound by her past identity as “Laura, the lawyer.” She could define herself anew.
As she reflected on her past roles — writer, speaker, advocate — she recognised a pattern. Though the titles changed, the skills remained constant. She had always been using communication, persuasion, and motivation to create impact. Her diverse experiences weren’t interruptions in her career — they were the building blocks of a broader professional identity.
Step 1: Be Open to and Ready for Change
Laura’s first lesson is that career change is no longer a setback — it’s an asset.
In his 1989 book The Age of Unreason, Charles Handy predicted that careers would evolve into portfolios of different roles rather than decades-long positions. Today, that prediction has come true. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average person now holds between 12 and 15 different careers in their lifetime.
Once seen as instability, career change now signals adaptability, resilience, and creative problem-solving. Every new role adds another skill to your portfolio — leadership, empathy, communication, or innovation.
As Laura reminds us, “Change is only another word for growth.” Embracing that reality enables professionals to stay relevant and confident in times of uncertainty.
Step 2: Embrace Experiences, Not Titles
The second key to finding success anywhere is learning to value experiences over job titles.
Modern careers are not linear. They are collections of moments where skills evolve through challenges, environments, and responsibilities. Laura discovered that while she wasn’t always working as a lawyer, she was consistently writing, advocating, persuading, and motivating — the same competencies that made her successful in law.
This idea reflects author Jeff Goins’ concept in The Art of Work, which encourages people to view their careers like an artist’s portfolio. Each job or project stands as a unique piece of art, valuable in its own right, yet collectively telling a story of growth and mastery.
By “ditching the titles and embracing the experiences,” professionals open themselves to new opportunities that align with their strengths, even when they fall outside their original career path.
Step 3: Make Meaningful Connections
The third and most practical step is to build genuine human connections. Despite thousands of job boards and digital platforms, 85% of jobs are still filled through personal referrals and word of mouth.
Networking is not about collecting contacts — it’s about starting conversations. Laura calls it “plugging in with people, not devices.” Asking thoughtful questions, seeking advice, and expressing your goals allows others to see where you could fit into their professional ecosystem.
Two simple but powerful questions she uses are:
- “How did you come to be here?”
- “If you could do anything, what would it be?”
These questions invite stories, not just answers, and they often uncover shared experiences that lead to mentorships, collaborations, or new roles. The goal is not to sell yourself but to connect authentically — to be seen and remembered for who you are and what drives you.
Reframing Success in the Modern World
Laura’s journey redefines success for the global, mobile, and ever-changing 21st century workforce.
She reminds us that:
- Success isn’t a single title, it’s a series of transformations.
- Every role, even one that feels unrelated, contributes to a larger professional identity.
- Growth often comes disguised as change or uncertainty.
For Laura, success is not about being “Laura, the lawyer.” It’s about being Laura, the motivator, the advocate, the communicator, the leader. Her life demonstrates that when we shift focus from maintaining a rigid identity to building flexible skills, every location, challenge, or transition becomes a learning opportunity.
Conclusion: Redefining What It Means to “Be Here”
At the heart of Laura’s message lies a profound realisation — we are all capable of redefining who we are and where we’re going.
The question, “How did you come to be here?” isn’t just small talk; it’s an invitation to reflect on how choices, sacrifices, and opportunities shape our paths. Likewise, “If you could do anything, what would it be?” reignites creativity and purpose, reminding us that our professional lives are ours to design.
Whether you are changing jobs, supporting a partner, or navigating uncertainty, success follows when you remain open to change, embrace the journey, and connect deeply with others.
Laura’s story proves that no matter where you are in the world, you can always find success — anywhere, and on your own terms.
