SVP Creative

10/12/2025

Yesterday I posted a challenge for you. If you didn't see it, go have a look and then come back here.

Today is your chance to act on that challenge.

Take the strengths and skills which you identified yourself as having, and create a post on just one social media platform. It might be here on LinkedIn, or over on Facebook, TikTok, Insta - wherever. But create a post centred around the things you're good at, and which you are proud of.

No humble bragging. No hiding behind something your company has done, and no praising your incredible colleagues or business partners.

Today is all about you. If you are proud - tell people, and tell them why.

I am proud of you for even considering it.

Big Love. X

Carl.

09/12/2025

Mini-challenge:

Spend 10 minutes today reflecting on your strengths & skills.

Write them down.

Tomorrow we will do something bold with them.

07/12/2025

When a client wants support whilst building their own website, it's important that their own personality and language shines through. Marie knew exactly what she wanted from her website so she took the wheel and produced all of the content herself, using the SVP Creative website builder to add all of her own finishing touches.

🙏🏻 Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to have a look at my website, and for your positive feedback

🫶 I’m so glad you like it, and think it’s very “me”

🗝️ I’ll be ready to welcome in some new coaching clients in the new year-
the website is there for you to peruse and please feel free to get in touch if you’d like to book a FREE discovery call

🔗 The website link is in my bio
🙌 Thank you to SVP Creative for making it happen

19/11/2025

Is this Hurting You?

Poor Person to Job/Person to Organisation Fit is Injurious, and it is Serious.

My everyday work is based around the effects of this subject, so I will continue to bang the drum. It’s too important not to.

My own experience told me that I waited too long to make a change, and I paid dearly for it. I wanted to make sure it wasn’t “just me”, so I have spent a significant chunk of my time reading more about what other people’s experiences have been, as well as diving into studies around the subject of being in a job which doesn’t match your vibe.

I found out such a lot, and I want to help make sure this doesn’t happen to you. So, I’ve set out five more signs that this could be affecting you and I really hope you spot it before it takes a serious hold. You see, most people don’t realise they’re incompatible with their career until the signs are everywhere. These signs aren’t particularly dramatic, either. At least, they aren’t at first.

The quiet erosion from the drip, drip, drip of misalignment begins to wear you down in a way which no single “bad day” ever could.
If any of what you are about to read here rings even the faintest of bells with you, it isn’t because you are weak, lazy, or unfocused. It’s because your work and your wiring have stopped speaking the same language.

Please, PLEASE, read on…

Chronic Stress & Burnout

When the job drains more than it gives.

Burnout rarely explodes into your life. It brews, percolates.

Data from Gallup shows that three out of four people hit burnout at least more than once in their working lives, and misalignment with their work is one of the big culprits. When a job demands a version of you that isn’t sustainable, or maybe it isn’t really you at all, EVERYTHING becomes heavier.

You start waking up tired. You put more energy in and get less feeling back. You dread the bit of the day when work “switches on,” even if you’ve had a decent night’s sleep.

You would be forgiven for internalising this as personal failure, but it simply isn’t that at all. It’s usually just incompatibility disguised as pressure.

Loss of Motivation & Creativity

When the spark goes out, but the workload remains.

It’s clear from the studies that there’s a particular kind of exhaustion that comes from doing work that doesn’t light you up. LinkedIn’s research shows that people in the wrong roles are three times more likely to disengage, and it doesn’t happen with fireworks. It happens with sighs and steady and slow withdrawal. Withdrawal from oneself, and from those around you.
You procrastinate. You coast. You stare at the same paragraph, presentation, email or spreadsheet, waiting for your brain to kick into gear. It doesn’t.
The truth is simple and also a little painful: creativity only survives where meaningful existence lives.
And when the work stops mattering, the mind quietly checks out long before the body follows, and you probably don’t notice either at first.

Your Health Starts Whispering (and Then Shouting)

Your body notices before you do.

The body has a funny way of telling the truth before we’re ready to hear it.

The APA has been saying it for years and there are tons of studies and articles backing this up: chronic job dissatisfaction increases rates of anxiety, sleep disruption, digestive issues, eating anomalies, weight gain and weight loss, and all the other ‘insignificant’ little physical problems we brush aside as ‘getting older’ or ‘just stress.’
But stress from what? You even say it’s stress and then don’t give it a further thought. Like it is somehow ok to have these weird little maladies, and to even acknowledge a potentially significant cause of them, and then just accept it. ‘It’s life!’ – like it is supposed to happen. It isn’t!

Prolonged stress is NEVER a good thing, ever. And do not ever pay heed to those sh*tty articles and influencers who tell you stress is good for you. It isn’t. Ok? It just ISN’T!

So ask yourself now; where is this ‘stress’ coming from. This ‘stress’ which is causing you overeat, or not eat at all. Causing you to lay awake at night, to feel anxiety more and more often, and to snap at your colleagues, even your family. Where is the cause?
Is it:
- from being trapped in a role that never fits quite right?
- from constantly masking or forcing yourself into a shape that isn’t yours?
- from tolerating the slow grind of “This isn’t me,” repeated daily?

At some point, your body starts nudging.

Then it starts negotiating.

Then it starts refusing.

And then it’s too late.

Underperformance & Imposter Syndrome

Feeling like you’re always behind, even when you’re not.

Here’s the strange thing about imposter syndrome: it shows up most fiercely when we’re talented but misplaced.
The CIPD found that career mismatch strongly correlates with underperformance, not because people lack ability, but because they’re working against their natural strengths.
This manifests itself in you in a number of ways:
- You doubt yourself.
- You compare yourself.
- You feel “behind” even when you’re working harder than anyone can see.

But you are not falling short – you are climbing the wrong bl00dy mountain!

And it’s impossible to feel like an expert when the work itself pushes you away.

Feeling Stuck and Stalled

When every year feels like the year before it.

Here’s another thing about being in the wrong career: it numbs your sense of movement. Your sense of progress.

OECD data shows that people in mismatched roles experience slower wage growth, fewer opportunities, and less upward momentum. When this affects you, it isn’t because you are incapable, it is because you’re not energised or visible in the ways that matter.

You begin to stop spotting opportunities. Others begin to stop putting you forward for them, and in turn you stop imagining a positive future inside the work at all.

Every year becomes a barely discernible repeat of the last, with a little less optimism and a little more “Is this really it?”

So what? It’s my fault?

No – it’s about having the right fit, not about you being at fault. But it is ONLY you who can do something about it once you have noticed it.

You see, career incompatibility doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means the container you’re in is too small, too lumpy, and it’s probably the wrong shape altogether. And, when it’s wrong, it takes everything you’ve got just to stand still.

When the job is right, you feel it. And you don’t feel it because it is easy. You feel it because it excites you, fires you up, stretches you, and you feel the growth it lends to you.

Please, if it is time for you to make a change. Begin it.
Begin it Now.

Big Love. X

Carl.

Resources

You can take a look at the following studies to read more about this subject. They have helped me to write this piece so I urge you to look them up:

Zeng & Hu (2024) - “A study of the psychological mechanisms of job burnout: implications of person–job fit and person–organization fit”
Frontiers in Psychology - Motivational Incongruence and Well-Being (2016)
PubMed - Person–Job Fit & Person–Group Fit in Medical Professionals (2019-ish)
PubMed - Person-Vocation Fit & Burnout among Resident Physicians (2025)
Frontiers in Psychiatry - Person–Organization Fit & Teacher Burnout (2022)
PubMed - P-O Fit & Burnout in Academic Researchers during COVID-19
MDPI - “Mismatched, but Not Aware of It? How Subjective and Objective Skill Mismatch Affects Job Satisfaction”
BMC Psychology - Career Adaptability, P-O Fit & Work Engagement (2024)
Productivity.ac.uk / UK Labour Force Survey Analysis
Journal of Economics, Finance and Management Studies - P-J & P-O Fit & Performance
Gallup - “About three in four employees in the U.S. experience workplace burnout at least sometimes.”
Gallup - “When people are engaged but not thriving, they report 61 % higher likelihood of burnout often or always; 48 % higher likelihood of daily stress; 66 % higher likelihood of daily worry…”
CIPD (UK) - “Almost half (49 %) of UK workers are in jobs they are either under- or over-skilled for.”
CIPD - Skills mismatches “manifest in … lower job satisfaction, lower productivity, lower confidence and higher stress.”
CIPD - “Graduates who feel over-qualified in their jobs experience considerably poorer job quality than graduates who feel their qualifications match their roles.”

09/11/2025

I help people who are stuck in the wrong careers reclaim control and create a lifestyle which matches who they truly are.

If you think that might interest you, please like/follow this page for tips and news about events which will put you on the path to building the life and career you deserve.

Look for "The Begin it Now Programme" on Google

09/11/2025

What's stopping you? Find out what's holding you back. Find out how to move forward...

04/11/2025

'It feels like a quiet erosion of the soul.'

I’ll shout it out right now:

STAYING IN THE WRONG CAREER CAN, AND PROBABLY WILL, BREAK YOU.

From my own experience of being stuck in a career which caused me to ‘break’, I have been inspired to learn more about why this might happen, what the signs are, and how to notice it in oneself, as well as in others who we love and cherish.

There comes a point in life when the alarm clock feels like an enemy. You begin to wake up already weary, not from lack of sleep but from the weight of another day spent doing something which chips away at your wellbeing. According to research which I have done following my own crash and burn, I have noticed that for many, this feeling creeps in slowly. Starting as a dull ache at first, then a tightening in the chest each Sunday evening. There becomes an absolute certainty that the week ahead will once again drain your spirit, and this negative anticipation compounds the situation, the feelings. Staying in a job that does not reflect who you are, and in particular, that you and your family “depend on”, can quietly unravel your mental health.

People often underestimate how deeply work shapes our sense of identity and emotional wellbeing. We spend so much of our lives tied to it. Our energy, creativity, and confidence all orbit around what we do. When that daily effort feels meaningless or misaligned, the cost is a heightening anxiety, burnout, and the slow fading of ambition. For many, it means waking up one day being unable to remember what you once wanted for yourself.

The signs are subtle at first: irritability, fatigue, and a sense that no amount of rest ever feels like it is going to return the old, lively version of ‘YOU’. Then comes the creeping resentment toward colleagues who seem to thrive, or guilt for not being grateful when others might envy your position. Over time, this disconnection deepens and you start to completely lose sight of the person you used to be, the one who had curiosity, ideas, and hope.

The fear of leaving, however, is even more powerful. Fear of financial instability. Fear of judgement. Fear of being seen as reckless or ungrateful. For some, it is the fear of losing status, the comfort of predictability, or the social identity that a job somehow, bewilderingly provides. These are not small concerns, and clinging to a situation which is damaging your health in the name of safety is a slow form of self-sabotage. It becomes a steady and continuous destruction of your emotional freedom.

It might be encouraging to know and understand that making a positive change does not always mean quitting overnight or burning bridges. That’s exactly what I did and whilst it caused upset, I don’t regret it – there’s a very real likelihood I wouldn’t be here to write this piece today if I hadn’t. For you, though, it can begin quietly, with exploration, learning, and testing new paths. It might mean retraining in your spare time, freelancing on weekends, or volunteering in an area which excites you. The simple, and deliberate act of doing something that aligns with your genuine interests can reignite energy you thought you had lost. It might even make your existing career more palatable in the short term.

My investigations, conversations, and research have revealed to me that people who have taken positive steps to change their paths almost always describe a striking transformation. They rediscover enthusiasm, their confidence returns, they sleep better, feel lighter, and begin to see possibilities again. Even the process of stepping toward something new, before it fully pays off, creates momentum and self-respect. You start to remember that your happiness is an essential ingredient for a fulfilling, energy-rich life.

It's important to note that a career change may not solve every problem in life, but it can remove a major source of harm. When you begin to use your skills and energy toward something that reflects your values, a sense of peace begins to replace any inner friction you have likely been experiencing. You will begin to become more present, more curious, and more capable of joy. Your relationships with others improve. Your health improves and life feels less like a punitive, enduring sentence and more like an enriching adventure.

There is courage in admitting that what you are doing no longer serves you. There is wisdom in choosing wellness over routine. The hardest part is acknowledging the reality and making the decision: to step away from a life you have spent years, even decades, building, and trust that something better will meet you when you do. For many who have walked that path, it is a return to refreshed version of their true self.

The photograph I have attached to this post was taken a few months after I made the decision to leave behind almost three decades in the Commercial Insurance sector. The smile was back on my face, and I regained my energy; my vitality.

Please… if this piece of reflection hits home...

Begin it Now.

Big Love. X

Carl.

Sources
• Mental Health Foundation (2022). How Our Work Affects Our Mental Health. Retrieved from www.mentalhealth.org.uk
• American Psychological Association (2023). Workplace Stress and Mental Health. Retrieved from www.apa.org
• Harvard Business Review (2021). When Your Job Harms Your Mental Health. Retrieved from hbr.org
• Mind UK (2023). Workplace Wellbeing and Stress Statistics. Retrieved from www.mind.org.uk
• Forbes (2023). Why Career Change Can Improve Your Mental Health. Retrieved from www.forbes.com

24/10/2025

You were supposed to read this today.

I tell this story quite frequently, because it is important, and every time I tell it, it reaches someone new and they decide to finally take action for themselves. So if you choose to read on... this time it could be your bit of divine timing.

When I left school, I didn’t have much to shout about. My exam results were scabby at best, the kind that make your teachers sigh and your parents quietly worry. I didn’t have a plan, but I knew one thing: I’d have to make my own way somehow.

Fast forward nearly three decades, and I’d spent most of my adult life buried in the commercial insurance world. It was stable, respectable… but not exactly soul-stirring. I learned a lot about people, about business, about pressure. But after thirty years, something inside me started whispering that there had to be more. That whisper grew louder until I couldn’t ignore it anymore.

So I jumped.

I started a publishing company, my first real attempt at creating something that felt like mine. It was exciting, exhausting, and in truth, it faltered after just a couple of years. But failure has a funny way of being the best teacher, and that experience planted a seed for what came next.

That seed became a design agency. At first, it went through a bit of an identity crisis (irony fully noted). But as I worked with more people, I realised something important: my real passion wasn’t just in creating logos or building brands. It was in helping people rebuild themselves.

Now, my design business has a clear purpose. It’s for the ones who feel stuck. The people who’ve spent years as employees and can sense deep down that they’re meant for something more. The ones who notice the signs that say, “You’re not going to spend the rest of your life doing this,” but don’t know how to take the first step out.

It’s also for the young adults who’ve just come out of the education system with grades that don’t reflect their potential, and for those who’ve been home educated, rich in real-world knowledge but unsure of how to turn that into a livelihood.

I know what that feels like. The uncertainty, the self-doubt, the invisible wall between you and the life you actually want. I’ve lived it. I’ve broken through it.

And now, that’s what I do for a living.

Through my own experiences, and my extensive studies, I help people rediscover their direction, rebuild their confidence, and create a future that actually fits who they are.

So yes, I still build brands. But more importantly, I help people build new lives.

You can do this. It's your path. Begin it now.

Big Love. X

Carl.

22/10/2025

Are you waiting for perfect timing?

Here’s the truth... it doesn’t exist.

Every day you wait for all the stars to align, your best ideas are simply gathering dust. The most game-changing projects were never born from “I had everything lined up perfectly”. They ALL started with action... something like... “I just went for it.”

I am pretty sure nobody ever feels totally ready, and there’s always some excuse to hit pause. But those small, scrappy first steps? That’s where real progress lives.

Stop waiting. Start moving, even if it’s messy or imperfect. Your future self will thank you for breaking the timing myth wide open.

22/10/2025

How often do you get the feeling you’re just not wired for the 9-5?

If you're one of those people, you're not alone.

More people than ever are ditching the traditional career ladder because for some of us, it was never built with our dreams in mind.

Let’s be real, today's career advice tells you to pick a path and stay in your lane. But what if your ambitions don’t fit neatly into boxes, and you want to build your own lane instead? What if you want to try more than one thing?

If you feel restless, stuck, or like your best ideas are gathering dust, it’s not you. It’s the conditioning of the system and it is having an effect on you.

You have permission to step out, get creative, and start designing a work life that actually feels like you. The rise of the "corporate escapee" proves there’s a whole world of people doing just that.

And it's not just for people stuck in 9-5 grinds... if you've bombed your qualifications and feel hopeless, you can forge you're own way.

Are you ready to swap the rulebook for something real?

21/10/2025

Who says you have to play by the old rules? Some of the most exciting entrepreneurs today are young, bold, and totally unafraid to mix things up. They’re skipping the “ladder”, rewriting the script, and building startups that fit real lives: not just spreadsheets.

Most breakthroughs don’t come from sticking to tradition. They start with fresh eyes, rebellious energy, and the freedom to try something nobody else would dare.

If you're sick of being told "that's not how it's done," you’re not alone. The world needs your wild ideas. Sometimes being unconventional is your greatest superpower. Keep shaking things up: you might just be building the future everyone else is still waiting for.

21/10/2025

Have you noticed how exhausting it is to keep pretending you’re someone you’re not, just to blend in? Most of us do it without thinking: at work, online, even with friends. But here’s the thing: every time we shrink ourselves to fit other people’s expectations, we pay a hidden cost in confidence, energy, and joy.

The world is changing, and people crave realness more than ever. Authenticity has flipped the script: these days, it’s being YOU and owning your quirks that opens real doors. Standing out for who you really are is the key to finding your people, your path, and real success.

Forget fitting in. Take the leap and let the real you lead the way. The Begin it Now Programme was made for exactly this journey: giving you the boost and tools you need to break free.

Are you ready to see what happens when you stop hiding?