What Should I Do Next? A Personal Framework for Moving Forward

A lot of people have asked me lately: So, what will you be doing next?

I’m still figuring that out.

Two weeks ago, I left Google after almost a decade. I didn’t have my next role lined up. I just knew it was time for a change. I had outgrown what was available to me in Orange County, and staying would’ve meant stagnating. So I chose to try something different.

And now I find myself asking the same question many others are quietly sitting with:What should I do next?

Not what’s available. Not what’s safe. But what’s actually next for me.

Here’s the framework I’ve been using to explore that. It’s not a list of titles or market trends. It’s five angles I’m using to shape the next chapter: mission, skill, experience, people, and problems.

Mission

What do you keep doing even when no one’s watching?

For me, it’s helping people land jobs. I’ve done it for free for years—resume reviews, mock interviews, job-search coaching—because I care about it. If you keep showing up for something outside your official role, there’s probably a deeper reason.

Try this: List three things you’ve helped with—freely, by choice, or without recognition. If there’s a pattern, follow it.

Skill

What do people always rely on you for?

I’m not a visual thinker (I likely have aphantasia—look it up), but I’ve always been a systems person. Privacy, AI, scale, infrastructure—that’s where I shine. If you’re genuinely better at something than most people and you enjoy it, that’s a clue worth listening to.

Try this: Ask yourself: “What kind of work makes me feel confident because I know I’m good at it?” Write that down. That’s your edge.

Experience

What part of your story would make a CEO want to talk to you?

A decade in AdTech gave me more than technical depth—it gave me real perspective. I still reach out to founders and executives in the space. Some reply, some don’t—but I know what I bring to the table. I understand the problems they’re trying to solve, especially around privacy, targeting, measurement and delivery. That kind of lived experience can’t be Googled or ChatGPTed.

Try this: Write two sentences describing something you’ve seen firsthand that most people haven’t. That’s where your experience puts you ahead.

People

Who brought out your best—and where are they now?

The best chapters of my career had one thing in common: I worked with people I respected. The kind of team that makes you better just by being around them. If you’ve had that before, you know it matters more than perks or prestige.

Try this: Reach out to one former teammate you miss working with. Ask what they’re up to and who they’re building with now.

Problems

What do you fix that people will gladly pay for?

When I launched a structured program to help people land jobs, it gained traction and had a high renewal rate—not because it was flashy, but because it solved a real, painful, repeatable problem. If you’ve fixed something people hate dealing with or companies lose money over, that might be your direction.

Try this: Ask yourself: “Where are people or companies showing up with money because I solved a real problem for them?” And if they aren’t, is it because they don’t see your ability to solve it, or because the problem isn’t real anymore, or maybe you are just uncomfortable to ask?

Still Uncertain? That’s Okay.

I’m not writing this because I have it all figured out. I’m writing it because this framework gives me direction in the same fog a lot of people are in. It’s helped me move forward with more clarity—and that’s enough for now.

You don’t have to solve everything this week. You just need a way to take the next step.

So if you’re asking What should I do next?—start here. And if something’s helped you find your way, share it. Your story might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.