Will you pivot or persevere?
I didn’t know what to do.
It felt like a monumental decision. Do I stay or do I go?
I had just been offered a new job.
But the choice wasn’t clear.
Do I stay in the role that I’m in, working with a leader I respected, a team I enjoyed, doing work that was familiar and aligned?
Do I take the new opportunity, with interesting possibilities for growth and learning, doing different work that also felt well aligned?
I was torn.
Do I stay or do I go?
Do I pivot or persevere?
Have you ever felt this way?
I asked advice from those around me who I trusted, and, while they had good ideas to share about how I could make my decision (ranging from drawing up a pro/con list to flipping a coin), we all knew the truth. Only I could make the decision.
We’ve all faced decisions like this, haven’t we?
Perhaps you picked the path you’re on, but things aren’t quite going the way you had hoped. There have been more bumps in the road, or maybe you’ve hit a plateau. Should you stay the course?
Perhaps you’re feeling a little whisper that there’s something else for you…a different path seems to be calling. But the one you’re on seems pretty decent, and it’s familiar. Should you branch out with something new?
Perhaps there are two new choices, both seem interesting but very different. How do you make a decision?
Or maybe you tried something new, but it’s uncomfortable and you’re not seeing the future you expected. Should you go back to the familiar?
We know how to lean into a decision when we “know” it’s the right one. But how do we get the clarity we need when we still feel overwhelmed and unsure?
Here are three things you can do that may help when faced with a “pivot or persevere” decision:
Take a step above
Start by setting your choices aside for a moment and get clear with yourself about your north star. Often, reminding ourselves of the things that are most important can bring a decision into perspective.
Perhaps you’re considering a new job. Separate from the decision at hand, where are you looking to take your career down the road? What impact would you like to have? Maybe you’re considering moving to a new neighborhood. What kind of lifestyle would you like to be living in the future?
Envision each future
So often, we get caught up in the now-ness of a decision. When you take a step back and imagine your life down the road with each opportunity, what becomes clear for you?
Maybe you’re not sure if now is the right time to start that graduate school program. How will you feel in 5 years if you’ve started this year? How will you feel if you took a different path? Perhaps you’re on the fence about a big business trip scheduled for the same week as an important milestone for your daughter? How will you look back on this decision in 6 months?
Flip a coin
Sometimes flipping a coin really does help - not to make the decision, but to help you get clear about how you feel about the decision.
Maybe you feel a sense of relief. What does that tell you about the decision you want to make? Maybe you get a sense of angst or dread. How does that inform what you want to do?
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by a decision. Taking the time to step away and realign ourselves with our north star, envisioning our life after the path has been taken, and getting real with our feelings about the choice can help give us the clarity we’re looking for.
What decision do you need to make right now?
Will you pivot or persevere?
Should we talk?
You’re here. You want to be there. I can help.
Book time, and we’ll figure out how to get you unstuck and get going.
How will you iterate towards the person you’re becoming?
September 18, 2025
About the author:
Christina Von Stroh is a leadership coach who helps her clients become wildly successful by applying iterative software development practices to achieve their dreams. Want to work with Christina to help you iterate towards the person you’re becoming?
Book your free strategy session.
