I wrote this for my exhausted job seekers out there. (Read to reclaim your main character energy)

I recently caught up with my friend who’s been searching for 8 months while full-time employed. She said, “I feel like I’ve been pushing a boulder up a mountain for forever… And I can’t even see the top of the mountain. I’m freaking exhausted.”

If you feel this way right now, you are not alone 🫶

It’s tiring to devote so much effort toward a goal… especially when you’ve made it so far, but you’re not quite there yet. The job search is a full-time job these days and has different challenges whether you’re full-time employed, freelancing, or a free agent. It is imperative to find ways to feel good along the way. This begins with shifting your perspective.

Rather than pushing a boulder up a mountain alone, I want to offer a new metaphor as a reframe…

Imagine you are a protagonist on a quest in a fantasy novel (like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or {insert favorite story}).

As the protagonist, everyone’s rooting for you. You’re the hero of the story — you have agency over your decisions and actions. You see challenges as opportunities to grow, you gain confidence as you overcome each obstacle.

You have a clear end goal on this quest: Land a new job you’re absolutely stoked about.

But you don’t know how you’ll get there…
Or exactly where that new job is…
Or who will help you find it…

You DO know how it’ll feel (amazing, relieving, exciting).
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On a quest, there is no set path. No clear map telling you the exact path ahead. You start with the information you have, seek new information along the way, and revise your path as a result.

Find guides along the way. Talk to people, share your goal, see how they can help. Bring them into the story. The more those guides know about your target role or company, the better. Other guides may have embarked on this type of quest before (like a coach or mentor). Lean on them to course-correct when you’re stuck.

Don’t navigate the quest alone. Join a community or find friends with shared goals (think Harry, Ron, and Hermione). Support one another with encouragement and fresh ideas.

Expect the unexpected. You’ll need to slay a few dragons and get swept up in a few really crazy storms. (Read: complex take-home projects and a flurry of rejection emails). But you’ll also find beauty along the way — a mountain lake or unexpected wildflowers. (Like old network connections offering to help or budding friendships).

Eventually, you’ll complete the quest.

You’ll land the job.
You’ll climb the mountain.
You’ll be better for it.

And when you look back, you’ll have an epic story worth telling.

A story about resilience, determination, and faith.
A story about overcoming obstacles and personal growth.
A story where real-time stresses turn into laughable memories.

So my friends, turn up that main character energy.

Choose to view yourself as a hero on a quest. While the end goal is important, the journey itself can be rewarding and transformative if you choose to view it that way. Savor the small wins, lessons learned, and personal growth you experience. They’ll become a part of your story just as much as the challenges.

Remember: You’re not only the main character — you’re the author too.

This is your story to write.

What happens next?!