The Weight of Waiting

The Purpose and The Pivot is a podcast for women navigating transitions in career, leadership, faith, and personal growth. It’s for those moments when you’re re-evaluating what’s next and choosing to realign with purpose—intentionally and confidently.

Through honest conversations, meaningful stories, and practical insight, we’ll explore how to embrace change, lead through transition, and move forward with clarity after the pivot.

McLain Career & Life Coaching dba McLain Enterprises, LLC

https://www.mclainenterprisesllc.com

https://calendly.com/mclainenterprises/30min 

Produced & Edited by: Tyrone K. Sullivan (Media Director)
linkedin.com/in/tyroneksullivan 

Transcript

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SPEAKER_00 0:02

Welcome to the Purpose and the Pivot, the podcast for women who know it's time for more. With your host, C Renee McLean, career and life coach and champion for women navigating change with confidence and clarity. Each week we'll have real conversations about career moves, life transitions, mindset shifts, and the power of redefining your purpose at every stage of life. Whether you're pivoting professionally, personally, or both, this is your space for guidance, growth, and grounded support. Let's dive in.

SPEAKER_01 0:45

Welcome to the purpose and the pivot. Today's episode is the weight of waiting. Yes. Finding purpose, peace, and progress in the in-between. Yes, yes, yes. So today we are talking about a season that every one of us will experience at some point in our lives. A season that can test your patience, challenge your faith, and stretch your resilience. Oh yes, we are talking about the wait of waiting. Oh yes. Waiting for the phone call. Waiting for the interview. Yes. Waiting for the promotion. Waiting for the diagnosis, the healing. Waiting for the relationship. For the business to grow. Waiting for clarity. Waiting for the next chapter. If you've ever found yourself wondering, when is it going to be my turn? Then today's episode is for you. Because waiting is one of the hardest things we'll ever do. Not because we're doing nothing, but because we're often doing everything we know to do and still not seeing the results we're hoping for. So we're going to talk about eight steps about this weight of waiting. Number one, waiting doesn't mean you are stuck. One of the greatest misconceptions about waiting is that nothing is happening. But that's rarely the truth. That is rarely the truth. Waiting and being stuck are two different things. Think about a seed that's planted beneath the soil for weeks, sometimes months. You don't see anything happening above the ground. But underneath the surface, roots are developing, strength is forming, life is growing. Uh-huh. Yeah. And the same is often true in our own lives. So just because you can't see progress doesn't mean progress isn't being made. Sometimes your greatest growth is happening in the places no one else can see, including you. Yeah, yeah. Number two, the emotional weight of waiting. The emotional weight of waiting. Let's be honest about something. Waiting is emotionally exhausting. It is. It's difficult to stay hopeful when you've been disappointed. It's hard to remain optimistic after another rejection email. Yeah, yet another one. It's frustrating to watch others move forward while you feel like you're standing still. Yeah. And if we're not careful, waiting can become fertile ground for fear, doubt, comparison. Oh no, because we talked about that in the previous episode. We don't want to do that. But if we're not careful, waiting can become fertile ground for it. As well as discouragement. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We start asking ourselves questions like, did I miss my opportunity? Am I not qualified enough? Is this ever gonna happen for me? Should I just give up? I tell you what, I've learned that those questions don't necessarily mean you've lost faith. Okay. It means you're human. Yeah. You're human. Just like all of us that have been there. Yep. Number three, don't let waiting define your worth. Oh, wow. One of the biggest dangers of waiting is that we begin tying our identity to what hasn't happened. Get this guy's yet. Yet. Key word. We think when I get the promotion, then I'll feel successful. When I land that job, then I'll feel confident. When I start the business, then I'll feel fulfilled. But you know what? Your worth has never been determined by your waiting season. Okay. You are valuable before the opportunity arrives. Uh-huh. Yeah. You're capable before the title changes. And you are enough before someone else recognizes it. Know that, okay? So don't allow a delayed opportunity to convince you that your value has been delayed too. Remember the word yet. Things haven't happened yet. Key word. Number four, waiting is an opportunity to prepare. Oh yes. So here's a perspective that changed the way I think about waiting. Yeah. What if waiting isn't just about time? Hmm. What if it's also about preparation? Hmm. While you are waiting, you can grow. Yeah. You can learn. Yes. You can refine your skills. Yes. Strengthen your mindset. Expand your network. Deepen your faith. While you are waiting, you can improve your health. Develop your leadership. Yeah. So waiting doesn't have to be wasted. It can become one of the most productive seasons of your life if you choose to use it wisely. To prepare instead of simply pause. Hmm. Yes, yes, yes. Preparation. Instead of simply pausing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So ask yourself if the opportunity arrived tomorrow, would I be ready? Hmm. And if the answer is no, guess what? Today is your opportunity to prepare for what you've been praying for. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Number five, release the need to control the timeline. Uh-huh. Yeah, yeah, yeah. One of the hardest lessons I've learned is that we don't get to control every single timeline. Yeah. We can control our effort. We can control our attitude. We can control our preparation. But guess what, guys? We cannot always control every outcome. Yeah. And that is where trust comes in. Trust that your work matters. Uh-huh. Trust that your preparation has purpose. And trust that closed doors aren't always permanent. And also, trust that delays aren't always denials. That's right. That's right. Sometimes life is simply unfolding in ways we cannot yet comprehend. Yeah. Yeah. How about that? Number six. Keep moving while you are waiting. Keep moving. Waiting doesn't mean sitting still. Yeah. We talked about preparation. So you're not sitting still if you're preparing, right? You can be learning while you're waiting. You can keep networking while you're waiting. You keep applying while you're waiting. I tell my coaching clients this, my career coaching clients, until you receive an offer, keep applying while you're waiting. Even if the interview was awesome. If you don't have an offer yet, keep applying, okay? Keep serving while you're waiting. Keep dreaming while you're waiting. Keep believing while you're waiting. Oh yes. So very important because momentum doesn't always come from giant leaps. Sometimes it comes from faithful, consistent little steps. Yeah. Each and every application. Each and every conversation. Each and every new skill that you develop. And every act of courage. All of it matters. Every single bit of it matters. Oh yes, yes, yes. Number seven. Someone else's timeline isn't your timeline. Hear me. Someone else's timeline is not your timeline. One of the quickest ways to make waiting heavier and harder is through comparison. And we talked about that comparison in the previous episode. We don't want to do that, guys. It's so discouraging. Yeah. You know, because you'll see someone else announce a promotion or you know, someone launch a business, someone will post, you know, a milestone, and suddenly your waiting feels even heavier. Your waiting feels harder. But remember this, guys, you're comparing your current chapter, it's only a chapter, to someone else's highlight. Yeah, you don't know their journey, you don't know what they've overcome, and they don't know yours. They don't know what you've been through. So stay focused on you and stay focused on your path because your timing is unique. And you know why your timing is unique? Because your purpose is unique. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Number eight, the waiting season shapes you. Yes, it does. Yeah. When I look back over my life, yes, when I look back over my own life and career, I can honestly say that some of my greatest growth happened during seasons I never would have chosen. Hear me, okay. The waiting taught me patience. Oh my god, we don't like patience, do we? But I also gained resilience. Oh yeah. The waiting taught me humility, uh-huh, yeah. It also taught me perseverance, yeah, yeah. And perhaps most importantly, waiting taught me to trust that my purpose, get this, wasn't determined by my pace. Yeah. Because sometimes it seems like things are taking so long, right? But it doesn't delay my purpose. It taught me to trust that my purpose was not determined by my pace. I've always been flowing in my purpose, right? Yeah. So sometimes the waiting is preparing you for a responsibility you aren't quite ready to carry yet. Here's that word again, yet. And one day you'll look back, oh my goodness, and realize that what felt like a delay was actually preparation and strategic alignment. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. So as we prepare to close today's episode, I would like to leave you with a few questions to reflect on. What am I learning in this season of waiting? How am I preparing for the opportunity I'm hoping for? Am I allowing delays to define my identity? I hope not, right? What can I control? And what do I need to release? Hmm. And finally, what if this waiting season isn't holding you back? What if it's preparing you? Oh my goodness, for something greater than you can see today. Yes. Because we know that God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly. Above all we can ask or think. So this waiting season just might be preparing you for something greater than you could ever imagine. Uh-huh. Yeah. And remember this, guys. You're waiting. It's not wasted time. Your progress is not invisible, and your story is not over. So keep preparing. Keep believing. Keep growing. And guess what? When the opportunity finally comes, and it will, you won't just be grateful that it arrived. You will be grateful for the total outcome and the person you became. Oh my goodness, while you were waiting. Yes, yes, yes. So continue living with purpose and continue embracing the pivot. Oh, yes, the purpose and the pivot. Uh-huh. Well, guys, that's our show for today. Until next time. Be encouraged, enlightened, and empowered. I am C. Renee McLean. Thank you for joining us today.

SPEAKER_00 19:44

Thank you for tuning in to the Purpose and the Pivot. If today's episode encouraged or inspired you, be sure to follow the show and share it with another woman who's navigating her own transition. For coaching support or to connect with C Renee McLean directly, visit McLean Career and Life Coaching or schedule a consultation using the link in the show notes. Remember, your purpose evolves, and you have permission to pivot. Until next time.