Sometimes in our career we feel that something is awry. That something is not quite right. You may feel stuck, stagnant or simply languishing in that state where everything is “just okay”.
Like the seasons of the year, our professional lives pass through stages each with its unique rhythm, challenges, and opportunities.
The career development scholar Professor Kerr Inkson highlights the power of metaphors in helping individuals make sense of their careers. Metaphors are more than linguistic flourishes; they shape how we think, feel, and act in our professional lives. The seasonal metaphor, in particular, offers a compelling framework to reflect on the cyclical and evolving nature of our careers.
The trick, however, is to know when you need to unfold from one season to the next.
As you read through the descriptions below, pay attention to what resonates for you. Often these moments of reflexivity point toward an answer we already know but haven’t yet had the courage to articulate.
Spring: The Season of Learning
In spring, everything feels fresh and exciting. We are planting seeds, experimenting, and discovering our passions. This is a time of growth and energy, when we are often driven by curiosity and ambition. Naturally we think about when we first joined the workforce but a Spring season can occur when you take on a new role or new responsibilities in your current organisation, change companies, move country, or embark on a course of study.
Use this season to learn as much as you can. Seek mentors, take on stretch assignments, and invest in enhancing your skills. The habits and experiences you cultivate now will shape your future.
The main benefit of spring is the freedom to explore and grow rapidly. The risk of staying too long is becoming stuck in a cycle of learning without progressing or committing. You’ll know it’s time to move on when you start craving deeper mastery and more impact, or when learning alone no longer feels satisfying.
Summer: The Season of Flourishing
Summer in a career is when we hit our stride. We leverage the skills we built in spring to achieve significant milestones. It is a time of abundance and productivity, often marked by objective measures of success such as promotions and recognition as well as internal success such as a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction of seeing our efforts bear fruit.
The main benefit of summer is achieving your potential and enjoying visible rewards. Celebrate your successes, but also begin to think about long-term goals. What do you want to harvest when this season ends?
But summer also brings its challenges. We must manage burnout and maintain balance just as plants require constant care and love to thrive. The longer days of summer tempt us to overextend ourselves, to work longer and harder. But sustainability is key. Set clear boundaries to avoid overwork and make space for renewal.
The risk of staying too long is exhaustion, complacency, or becoming defined solely by productivity. Overwhelm is a sure sign that things aren’t right. It may be time to transition when your achievements begin to feel hollow, or when you sense that you are coasting rather than evolving.
Autumn: The Season of Harvest
Autumn represents a period of reflection and maturity. By now, you’ve gained substantial experience, knowledge and expertise. Now is the time to turn this into wisdom. Consolidate your achievements and consider how to share your learnings with others. Just as trees shed their leaves in Autumn, we may find ourselves letting go of roles or responsibilities that no longer serve us. This shedding is necessary to make room for what’s next. Use this season to mentor others and give back to your community. Don’t shy away from pruning; clearing space now ensures a healthier growth cycle in the future.
We may naturally think that Autumn occurs in the later years of our career, but this isn’t necessarily the case. We go through multiple shorter learning cycles in our career as we adapt to changing technologies and needs.
The benefit of autumn is the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of your efforts and contribute meaningfully to others. The risk of staying too long is stagnation or resisting change. You may need to transition when giving back no longer feels generative, or when a deeper personal shift begins calling.
Winter: The Season of Renewal
Winter is often misunderstood as a period of decline, but in truth, it is a time of rest, renewal, and quiet transformation. British author Katherine May, in her book Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times, explores this concept of 'wintering' as a season in life when we retreat, repair, and slowly reorient ourselves. In the winter of a career, we may step back from full-time work, focus on personal projects, or transition into advisory roles. Much like hibernation in the natural world, this is not a period of inactivity but of essential recuperation and deep reflection.
It’s a time to distil the wisdom of previous seasons and decide what truly matters. Winter also offers the opportunity for reinvention. Just as the earth lies fallow before spring, this pause can be fertile ground for new beginnings. Whether it’s a new career path, a creative pursuit, or simply more time for family and hobbies, winter allows us to realign with our core values. Embrace this season as a chance to recalibrate. Reflect on what brings you meaning and joy. Explore ways to integrate these into your life.
The benefit of winter is profound renewal and realignment with purpose. The risk of staying too long is isolation or irrelevance if you disconnect from growth. Signs it’s time to re-emerge include a sense of restlessness, new ideas forming, or the quiet return of curiosity.
Transitioning between seasons
Every season has its purpose, and each contributes to the richness of the whole. When you’re in the midst of a challenging spring or an intense summer, remember that these are temporary phases, leading to the rewards of autumn and the renewal of winter.
As you navigate your career, ask yourself: What season am I in right now? What does this moment call for? Align your actions with the rhythm of the season. In this way you will move through each stage with intention and grace.
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Edwin is the CEO of Trevor-Roberts and has spent the last 2 decades exploring how people find meaning through their work. He is also Chair of the Advisory board at the Centre for Work, Organisation, and Wellbeing at Griffith University.
