Successful On Paper

Jess Spiers
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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.

  1. 1d ago

    15. An hour can change more than you think

    When you’re unhappy at work, it can feel like getting unstuck is going to take months. But an hour can be enough to change everything. In this episode, I look at what can actually happen in one focused coaching session: making a decision you’ve been putting off, creating a much-needed plan, shifting your perspective or simply working out what you need to do next. I share my own recent experience of going into a coaching session with lots of looping thoughts and coming out an hour later with a tangible plan through to the end of the year. I also share three real examples from my coaching: a client deciding whether to accept a new job, a senior leader finding the time for something he’d thought was impossible and a client completely changing the way he saw himself as a leader. I explore: What you can realistically achieve in one hour.How getting your thoughts out of your head can change everything.Three examples of what clients have achieved in a single session. I’ve also just launched a new Get Unstuck session: a powerful one-hour coaching session for when you’ve got one particular career problem or decision going round and round in your head. Bring me the thing you can't stop thinking about and we'll spend an hour pulling it apart. I'll listen, challenge your thinking, help you see what you might be missing and you’ll leave knowing exactly what to do next. Book your Get Unstuck session here: https://tidycal.com/3o42vom/get-unstuck-1hr-session And if you know someone who might be interested, please share the link with them. Connect with Jess: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-spiers-19760717/ Website: https://www.twentytwentycoaching.co.uk/

  2. Sep 10

    14. Choosing purpose and intention over status and ego - with Jimmy Barber

    What happens when you’ve built a successful corporate career, reached senior leadership and you realise you don’t actually want the next promotion? In this episode, I’m joined by Jimmy Barber, who left the corporate world in his early 50s after a career that took him all the way to COO and Board level. We talk about why it’s so easy to keep following the career path in front of you without stopping to ask whether you actually want where it’s taking you. Jimmy shares his experience of turning down opportunities that looked great on paper, the promotion that made him less happy and worse at his job and what leaving corporate life taught him about how much of our identity can become wrapped up in our job title. We also have a really honest conversation about the less visible side of senior leadership - including a period of intense pressure when Jimmy appeared completely in control to everyone around him while privately struggling to cope. We cover: Why automatically chasing the next promotion isn't always progress.The difference between being busy and doing work that actually matters.How much identity and status can become tied to your job.Why comparison at work can make you miserable.The downside of being fiercely independent and finding it difficult to ask for help.Why your definition of success might need to change as you do.The value of making intentional career choices, even if the choice is to stay exactly where you are. Jimmy's biggest message is a simple one: make time to think about what actually matters to you and be intentional about the choices you make. You don't necessarily need to change everything. But there's a big difference between staying somewhere because you've chosen it and staying because you've never stopped to consider the alternative. How to find Jimmy: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmybarber/ A Job Done Well podcast: https://ajobdonewell.com/category/podcast/ Connect with Jess: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-spiers-19760717/ Website: https://www.twentytwentycoaching.co.uk/

  3. Sep 3

    13. Why strong foundations matter more than a shiny new job

    When something isn't right at work, it's easy to focus on the obvious solution: find a new job. But if you haven't worked out what's really making you unhappy, there's a risk you take the same problems with you. Different job. Same feeling. In this episode, I talk about why it's worth fixing the foundations of your career before automatically reaching for the shiny new job. Those foundations are the things that aren't necessarily visible from the outside: the Sunday night dread, feeling exhausted and numb, work constantly occupying your head, or that nagging feeling that there must be more to life than this. I know what that feels like because I've been there myself. I know first-hand how life-changing this work is. In this episode, I talk about: Why changing jobs can feel like the obvious answer when work isn't making you happy.How easy it is to recreate the same problems in a completely different role.What I mean by your career foundations and why they matter.Why you need to understand who you are now, rather than who you were when you chose your career 20 odd years ago.How to think about what you actually want to feel different about work.Why doing the work underneath gives you new information – and helps the decisions about what comes next flow much more naturally. You might do this work and still decide you need a new job. You might become more certain than ever that it's time to leave. Or you might discover that the changes you need are about boundaries, responsibilities, where and when you work, or how much of yourself you give to your job. Either way, you're no longer guessing. If you're ready to do this work, please do book a free 30-minute discovery call with me. It's a relaxed conversation to get to know each other, talk about what's happening for you and see whether I can help. Book your free discovery call: https://tidycal.com/3o42vom/30-minute-meeting Try my free Career Audit for men in their 40s & 50s: get clear on where you are now, where you want to be and the non-negotiables for your next chapter: https://www.twentytwentycoaching.co.uk/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-spiers-19760717/ If you know a man who might need to hear this episode, please share it with him. And don't forget to follow or subscribe to Successful On Paper so you never miss an episode.

  4. Aug 27

    12. One thing you need to hear this week: Kindness

    This week I'm talking about kindness – but not kindness towards other people. Kindness towards yourself. Most of the men I coach are good at being there for everyone else. They're supportive partners, good friends and reliable colleagues. But they often hold themselves to a completely different standard. They expect themselves to cope, keep striving, have the answers and get things right. And when they don't, they can be incredibly hard on themselves. In this episode, I talk about self-compassion and why it isn't the same as letting yourself off the hook. You can be ambitious, driven and want more from your life while still treating yourself with a bit more kindness along the way. In this episode, I talk about: Why we often speak to ourselves in ways we'd never speak to someone we care about.How self-compassion doesn't mean lowering your standards or making excuses.The particular pressures that can build up for men in their 40s and 50s.Why this stage of life might be exactly when you need to give yourself a break.Some simple questions to help you notice where you're being too hard on yourself.Why giving yourself permission to explore a happier, more fulfilling career can be an act of self-compassion too. Wanting a career that fits you better doesn't make you greedy or ungrateful. Sometimes one of the kindest things you can do for yourself is admit that something isn't working and give yourself permission to explore what could. Want to talk it through? If you'd like some space to think about what's going on for you and what you might need to change, you can book a free 30-minute discovery call with me. It's a relaxed conversation to get to know each other, talk about what's happening for you and see whether I can help. Book your free discovery call: https://tidycal.com/3o42vom/30-minute-meeting Visit my website: https://www.twentytwentycoaching.co.uk/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-spiers-19760717/ If you know a man who might need to hear this episode, please share it with him. And don't forget to follow or subscribe to Successful On Paper so you never miss an episode.

  5. Aug 20

    11. One thing you need to hear this week: Success

    Welcome to the fourth episode in my summer mini-series - short episodes each focusing on one thing you need to hear this week that no-one else will say to you. This week, it’s all about success and whether the definition of success you've been chasing for years actually still fits you. It's easy to measure success by the obvious things: promotions, salary, the house, the car, how far you've climbed. There's nothing wrong with any of those things. But the problem is that while you've changed, your definition of success might not have. What mattered to you in your 20s and 30s might look very different now you're in your 40s or 50s. Success now might mean having more time with your family. More energy. Looking after your health. Doing work that feels meaningful. Or something completely different. The important thing is that it's your definition, not somebody else's. In this episode, I talk about: Why we can spend decades pursuing success without ever defining what it means to us.How an outdated definition of success can leave you constantly striving but never feeling satisfied.Why your priorities, values and relationship with work change as you get older.My own tendency to measure success by clients and income – and what I've realised matters just as much.The questions you can ask yourself today to redefine success for the person you are now. Want to explore what success looks like for you now? I offer a free 30-minute discovery call where we can talk about what's going on for you, what you'd like to change and whether coaching could help. Book your free discovery call: https://tidycal.com/3o42vom/30-minute-meeting Visit my website: https://www.twentytwentycoaching.co.uk/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-spiers-19760717/ If you know a man who might need to hear this episode, please share it with him. And don't forget to follow or subscribe to Successful On Paper so you never miss an episode.

  6. Aug 13

    10. One thing you need to hear this week: Confidence

    This week's message is simple: confidence isn't something you either have or don't have. If you've ever told yourself you're not confident enough for a promotion, a new role or a career change, listen on. This is the third episode in my summer mini-series: one thing you need to hear each week that no-one else will say to you. I explore how confidence shows up in different ways, why many men underestimate what they're already capable of and how recognising your transferable skills can completely change the way you see yourself. In this episode, you'll hear: Why confidence comes in many different forms.How you can be confident in one area of your life but doubt yourself in another.Why focusing on what you don't have keeps you feeling stuck.The power of recognising your transferable skills and experience.Four questions to help you see your own confidence more clearly. If you'd like help finding that confidence that does already exist inside you, book a free 30-minute discovery call with me. We'll talk about where you are now, where you’d like to be and how I can help you recognise the strengths and confidence you already have. Book your call here: https://tidycal.com/3o42vom/30-minute-meeting Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-spiers-19760717/ If you know someone who would benefit from this episode, please share it with them. And if you're enjoying Successful On Paper, don't forget to follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode.

  7. Aug 6

    9. One thing you need to hear this week: Clarity

    Welcome to the second episode in my summer mini-series: short, practical episodes, each focusing on one thing that might shift the way you think about your career, your life or yourself - that no-one else will say to you. This week's message is simple: clarity doesn't come before action - it comes from it. If you've been waiting to feel completely certain before making a career decision, this episode is for you. I explore why so many men feel stuck, why overthinking rarely leads to clarity and how understanding who you are now - not who you were 10 or 20 years ago - can make your next career move much easier. In this episode, you'll hear:Why clarity isn't something you find by thinking harder.How taking action helps you discover what you really want.Why your priorities and values may have changed over the years.The questions that can help you cut through the fog.Why meaningful career decisions start with understanding yourself, not searching for the perfect answer. Ready to get clear on what's next?If this episode resonated with you, download my free Career Audit. It will help you understand where you are now, where you'd like to be and what's most important to you in the next stage of your career. Once you've completed it, I'll send you a personalised video review with practical next steps tailored to you. Get your free Career Audit here: https://www.twentytwentycoaching.co.uk Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-spiers-19760717/ If you know someone who would benefit from this episode, please share it with them. And if you're enjoying Successful On Paper, don't forget to follow or subscribe so you never miss an episode.

  8. Jul 30

    8. One thing you need to hear this week: Hope

    Welcome to the first episode in my summer mini-series: “One thing you need to hear this week”. These are short, practical episodes, each focusing on one thing you might need to hear this week that no-one else will say to you. This first episode is all about hope. If you dread every Monday morning and wonder if this is really it, this episode is for you. I talk about why it's OK to want more from your working life, how feeling trapped doesn't mean you have to make a dramatic career change and how the first step is simply giving yourself permission to stop and reassess. Trust me: this isn't as good as it gets. In this episode, I talk about: How there are always other options, even if you can't see them yet.Why meaningful career change rarely means starting from scratch.The difference between making a risky leap and making a considered plan.Why settling for survival isn't the answer.Why investing in yourself is one of the best decisions you can make.How clarity often comes much sooner than people expect. If this episode resonated with you and you'd like to explore what coaching could look like, book a free 30-minute discovery call. We'll talk about where you are, where you'd like to be and see if we're the right fit to work together. Book your discovery call: https://tidycal.com/3o42vom/30-minute-meeting If you know someone who'd benefit from hearing this episode, please share it with them. And if you're enjoying the podcast, I'd really appreciate it if you followed or subscribed so you don't miss future episodes. Visit my website: https://www.twentytwentycoaching.co.uk/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-spiers-19760717/

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About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    Jess Spiers
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Jess Spiers
  • Show Website
    Successful On Paper

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