At some point, you’ll probably wonder, “Am I doing this right?” or “Shouldn’t I have it more figured out by now?” If that sounds familiar, this post is for you.
Building your own career path — especially one that blends creativity, independence, and a niche like the outdoor industry — doesn’t come with a manual. You learn by doing, adjusting, and yes, sometimes stumbling.
This isn’t about pretending the process is easy. It’s about normalizing the twists, turns, detours, and quiet moments where you’re figuring out what comes next.
When you’re building something unconventional, imposter syndrome will absolutely try to join your team. You’ll second-guess decisions. You’ll compare yourself to someone 10 years ahead and wonder why you’re not there yet.
That doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re human.
In outdoor terms: some days the trail is wide, flat, and well-marked. Other days, you’re bushwhacking. Progress looks different depending on the season.
There’s pressure to have a polished plan before you start: a perfect portfolio, a streamlined brand, crystal-clear offers.
But let me tell you something: every step forward gives you more clarity. Every project teaches you something. Every no gets you closer to a yes.
Treat your career like a field journal: messy notes, evolving ideas, lots of scribbles. You don’t have to wait until it’s all typed up and bound in leather to share what you know or try something new.
Big wins are great. But the small ones are what sustain you.
Give yourself credit for the behind-the-scenes work too: updating your portfolio, organizing your finances, drafting your first contract template. All of it matters.
Creative burnout is sneaky. It doesn’t always look like total exhaustion. Sometimes it shows up as:
Here’s what helps:
Also: revisit your boundaries. Are you undercharging? Overdelivering? Saying yes to things that don’t align? Burnout often starts in those places.
You are allowed to shift. To outgrow a niche. To pause. To scale back or scale up. You are not locked into anything you built.
I’ve gone from full-time to freelance to part-time to running my own projects. I’ve done campground maps and conference programs and nonprofit communications and podcast production. Every stage taught me something I now bring to the next thing.
This is a choose-your-own-adventure career. You get to rewrite the map anytime.
If you feel like you’re wandering sometimes, congratulations: you’re doing it right.
We’re taught that professionalism means certainty, polish, a clear plan. But most of us are learning as we go. That doesn’t mean you’re lost.
You’re exploring. Adjusting. Navigating. And that’s a skill in itself.
You don’t need to be ahead of everyone to be helpful. You just need to be honest about where you are. And maybe offer a hand to the next person climbing up behind you.
That’s what Make Your Own Map is all about.
Thanks for reading the series. More stories, tools, and reflections to come.
