{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"126. Choosing a Life Before You\u2019ve Lived It | Alex Dworsky & Gabriel DeSanti from Staj","description":"How do you choose a career before you\u2019ve really lived life? That\u2019s the question at the center of this conversation with Alex Dworsky and Gabriel DeSanti, co-founders of Staj. Most of us are asked to decide what we want to do at 18, 20, or 22 \u2014 long before we\u2019ve had enough experience to truly understand what those choices mean. And while some people land in the right place, many others find themselves years into a path that no longer fits. Alex shares her experience inside corporate America, where careers often follow a predictable path shaped by expectations, environment, and stability. But as time goes on, many people begin to question whether what they chose actually aligns with who they are becoming. Gabriel\u2019s journey offers a different perspective \u2014 pivoting early from a technical trade into content creation, ultimately building a career around exploring what different jobs are really like from the inside. Together, they unpack why so many people stay in roles that don\u2019t fulfill them. Fear plays a major role \u2014 fear of losing stability, identity, or success. For many, it\u2019s not just about changing jobs, but about walking away from something that looks \u201csuccessful\u201d on paper. That tension \u2014 between comfort and fulfillment \u2014 is where people often feel stuck. A key theme throughout this episode is the lack of real exposure. Most career decisions are made with limited information, based on what we\u2019re told, what we see around us, or what seems safe. Even internships, which are supposed to offer insight, often fall short by showing only a narrow slice of the job rather than the full picture. This conversation challenges the idea that choosing once is enough. Instead, it invites a different approach: staying curious, experimenting, and being willing to reassess what success actually means at different stages of life. Because sometimes the real work isn\u2019t choosing the right path \u2014 it\u2019s recognizing when the one you chose no longer fits. What\u2019s The Point? is a podcast hosted by Bill Ellis featuring real conversations with people who\u2019ve figured out what matters \u2014 their purpose. Each episode explores what motivates them and how they find meaning in what they do.   Connect with Bill: bill@billellis.com  www.billellis.com www.brandingforresults.com IG - @wcellis Facebook - @CoachBillEllis Facebook - @bill.ellis  LinkedIn - linkedin.com\/in\/wcellis Book: Women Who Won   Links for This Episode: Name:  Gabriel DeSanti Email:  gabe@gabedesanti.com Name:  Alex Dworsky Email:  admin@gostaj.com SOCIAL MEDIA INFO: IG: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/gabriel.desanti LinkedIn: https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/gabriel-desanti IG: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/go_staj   Quick Episode Summary:  00:00 \u2013 Why choosing a career early is so difficult 01:30 \u2013 The idea behind Staj (try before you commit) 03:00 \u2013 Alex\u2019s corporate career and COVID shift 06:00 \u2013 Gabriel\u2019s early pivot and \u201cworld\u2019s longest resume\u201d 08:30 \u2013 Why people outgrow their careers 10:00 \u2013 Why most people stay in jobs that don\u2019t fit 12:00 \u2013 How we actually choose careers at 18\u201322 14:00 \u2013 The problem with internships 16:00 \u2013 Fear, identity, and career changes 18:30 \u2013 The \u201cgolden handcuffs\u201d problem 21:00 \u2013 Why people don\u2019t explore other paths 24:00 \u2013 Who understands Staj immediately (and who doesn\u2019t) 27:00 \u2013 Why small businesses get it faster 30:00 \u2013 Hiring, risk, and finding the right fit 33:00 \u2013 Why internships don\u2019t fully solve the problem 36:00 \u2013 Unexpected jobs and hidden career paths 40:00 \u2013 How to explore without quitting everything 45:00 \u2013 What to do if your career feels wrong 50:00 \u2013 Redefining success over time 53:00 \u2013 Final reflections on choice and fulfillment ","author_name":"What's The Point? - Discover Your Purpose","author_url":"https:\/\/www.billellis.com","html":"