Successful On Paper is for men in their 40s and 50s who’ve built careers that look great from the outside - but how they feel inside tells a different story.
Host Jess Spiers, a qualified career coach who specialises in coaching men, shares what she's learned from coaching men like you to help you navigate this stage of your career and redefine what success looks like now.
Jess also speaks to men like you who are going through it too, sharing the thoughts, struggles and doubts that often go unspoken. These aren’t polished success stories but real, honest conversations about how it feels when your identity has shifted but your career hasn’t caught up. New episodes every other Thursday.
What if you've spent years playing the career game really well, only to realise it's no longer a game you want to win?
You've worked hard, built a reputation, earned more money and progressed through the ranks. But somewhere along the way, the things that used to motivate you have stopped feeling quite so important.
And yet, you're still chasing the same goals because that's what you've always done.
In this episode, I explore why the career game that worked so well in your 20s and 30s might not feel right in your 40s and 50s, and why working harder isn't necessarily going to make things better.
I explore:
Why career success can start to feel less satisfying, even when you're doing well.
The difference between being good at something and still wanting it.
Why our instinct is often to work harder when something doesn't feel right.
How your definition of success might have changed over the years.
Three questions to help you work out what you actually want from your career now.
I also share my own experience of reaching a point in my career where I knew I wanted something different, but had no idea what that looked like.
You might not need a different career. You might just need a different relationship with the one you've already got.
Feeling stuck in your career?
I've created my 1hr Get Unstuck session for exactly this kind of thing. Bring me your career problem and we'll spend an hour pulling it apart, challenging your thinking and you’ll leave knowing exactly what step to take next.
Find out more: https://www.twentytwentycoaching.co.uk/work-with-me (https://www.twentytwentycoaching.co.uk/work-with-me)
Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-spiers-19760717/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-spiers-19760717/)
22 Oct 2026
20. "I have no problem being vulnerable - but I still struggle to ask for help" - with Adam Richardson
Online fitness coach Adam Richardson joins me for an open and honest conversation about work, mental health, finding purpose and why we spend so much time thinking about making changes rather than actually doing something about them.
Adam spent nearly eight years working in charity fundraising, climbing the career ladder and attempting to quit seven times. Eventually, after struggling with his mental health, he left to become a personal trainer.
His first year was exhausting and he earned just £12,000 - but he'd never been happier.
We talk about:
How easy it is to climb the wrong career ladder without realising.
Why being vulnerable and asking for help aren't necessarily the same thing.
The impact of work on our mental health and relationships.
Why taking action builds confidence more than overthinking ever will.
Finding purpose and working out what success looks like for you.
Why it's never too late to start again.
A simple exercise to help you imagine your perfect ordinary day.
Adam is refreshingly honest about his struggles, the things he's learned and what he's still figuring out.
As he says, "20 minutes of doing is worth more than 20 hours of thinking".
Where to find Adam:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aadamrichardson (https://www.instagram.com/aadamrichardson)
Where to find Jess:
Website: https://www.twentytwentycoaching.co.uk/ (https://www.twentytwentycoaching.co.uk/)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-spiers-19760717/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-spiers-19760717/)
15 Oct 2026
19. I've done this for 20 years - what else could I do?
If you've spent most of your career in the same industry or type of role, it's easy to assume your experience is too niche to do anything else.
But you've built up far more transferable skills than you realise. The trouble is, you've been using some of them for so long that you barely notice them anymore.
In this episode, I talk about how to look beyond your job title and recognise what you're actually good at.
I cover:
Why your job title doesn't tell the whole story about what you can do.
How to spot the strengths you take for granted but other people value.
Five questions to help you identify your transferable skills.
How to look at your experience differently and see where else your skills could be useful.
Why being good at something doesn't mean you have to keep doing it.
If you're wondering what else you could do after 20 or 30 years in one career, this episode will help you start seeing your experience - and your options - differently.
Want some help working out what comes next?
Find out more about my coaching programme: https://www.twentytwentycoaching.co.uk/work-with-me (https://www.twentytwentycoaching.co.uk/work-with-me)
Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-spiers-19760717 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-spiers-19760717)
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