I was recently having a heated conversation.

With myself!

This probably won’t surprise you, but I’m a fan of coaching.

I have had coaches since I started my own business back in the mid-90s.

• Business coaches
• Personal growth coaches.
• Coaching coaches.
• Personal training coaches.

It’s not because I thought something was wrong with me or that I was lacking something. It was from the perspective that there were things out there that I wanted to learn to become a more powerful CEO and leader, a more grounded parent, a knowledgeable weightlifter, and a highly skilled coach for my clients.

I recognized that there were other people who already knew what I wanted to learn. And, because I’m a bit impatient, I wanted to get inside their brains to capture that info and integrate their know-how into my own life and business as quickly as I could.

I have been working inside of the same coaching program for over two years. I’ve learned so much from my coach about running a coaching business and how to be a better coach.

I was planning to continue to work with her because I know she has more she can teach me and there is more I can learn. Yet, for some reason, I was also feeling a desire to put things on pause.

That’s when I realized … I was in the Career In-between.

That place where two equally compelling options pull you in opposite directions.

You may have had this same feeling. You are torn between two career directions.

Maybe you’re craving a move into management, exploring a new industry, or starting your own business. At the same time, part of you wants to stay put, appreciating the stability, familiarity, or success you’ve already built.

Here’s the challenge: when you’re split like this, it’s hard to move forward with confidence. That indecision can create frustration, delay, and eventually regret.

The good news? There’s a way through.

The Alchemist’s Decision-Making Method: A 6-Step Process to Move Forward

Use this tool when you’re navigating between two clear desires. It will help you gain clarity, trust your inner wisdom, and take confident action—without regret.

Step 1: Draw a line down and across a piece of paper to make four quadrants. Label the top left Desire #1 – Pros, the top right Desire #2 – Pros, the bottom left Desire #1 – Cons, and the bottom right Desire #2 – Cons.

Step 2: Fill each quadrant with the pros and cons of each desire—everything from the obvious to the subtle.

Step 3: Take each con from Desire #1 and turn it into a pro for Desire #2. Do the same for the cons of Desire #2, turning them into pros for Desire #1. Eliminate all cons from the sheet.

Step 4: Read only the pros for Desire #1. Let yourself fully believe it’s the perfect decision. Feel the alignment, the desire, the clarity.

Step 5: Shake off that experience and now do the same for Desire #2. Read the pros and let yourself believe completely that this is the best decision for your career right now.

Step 6: Now that both desires feel fully valid and regret-free, it is time to decide. Either choice is perfect. Whichever way you go you will have no regrets. Ask yourself: “What is the next best step for me?” Let your inner guidance respond. One choice will usually rise to the top with a sense of peace and heart-expansion.

You’ll feel excitement to move forward with your decision, and peace with letting the other go—trusting that it may still have a place in your future.