How to Plan a Career Change Without Collapse: What Dr. Deepak Bhootra Wants Every Professional to Know

I've been hosting these sessions almost weekly with Dr. Deepak Bhootra, the founder of RISEUP@work, and I'll be honest, this one made me uncomfortable. Because it felt like he said something so plainly true yet uncomfortable, but I still can't pretend like I didn't hear it (I was the host after all, lol).

This session's topic was career pivots. And in the first ten minutes, Deepak made a statement that set the tone of the entire conversation. In his own words, "most people who think they are pivoting are actually just running."

And that's what I'd like to break down in today's blog.

That said, let's get into it, shall we?

The Pivot Trap Nobody Warns You About When Planning a Career Change

You know, a pivot is a change in trajectory. Kinda like you were going one way and now you are heading in another direction. It happens inside companies, between companies, between industries. Regardless of the form it takes, the word pivot sounds like freedom. And freedom, as he put it, always comes with a price.

In other words, the problem isn't the pivot itself, it's why most people do it. That's why he introduced what he calls the Push-Pull model.

So, here's how the model works: Every career move is driven by one of two forces. Push is what makes you want to leave, it could be a difficult manager, exhaustion, feeling stuck, a toxic environment, etc. On the other hand, Pull is what draws you forward, it could be a bigger problem to solve, a better learning opportunity, or a future you genuinely want to build toward.

Regardless, here's the important part: most people who say they are being pulled are actually being pushed. And they do not realize the difference because people make decisions based on emotion and then justify them with logic. You tell everyone you are moving because the new company is better. Deep down though, you know you are leaving because you cannot stand your current manager. And it is that gap between the story you tell and the truth underneath it where bad pivots are born.

That said…

Emotion Is Not a Plan

You know, when a patient arrives dead at the hospital, the doctors pronounce him/her DOA — Dead On Arrival. So it is with a pivot driven by emotion.

And the reason is because when you move to escape pain, you carry the same patterns, the same blind spots, and the same unresolved tendencies into the new role. A good example would be someone changing gyms to get fit. If you can't do the basic reps, the gym change is useless. And that's because the problem was never the gym.

What struck me most about all this was when Deepak admitted this had happened to him personally. He told the story of walking out of a job in a moment of frustration… handing in his resignation letter on impulse, only to come back to the same company three weeks later, this time with a 15% increase, because the logic eventually overtook the emotion. But he was also clear: that outcome was luck, it's not gonna happen to most people.

Now, we've considered all this, let's take a look at stuff you can do to protect yourself from making such impulsive decisions.

The Four Checks That Actually Help You Plan a Career Change

I found this part of the session most useful because before you plan a career change, Deepak asks professionals to honestly work through each of the four checks described below.

Clarity. Are you moving toward something or away from something? And no, "I think so" isn't an answer. Be specific about what you're running away from or what you're moving toward.

Skills inventory. What are you taking with you? List the specific capabilities, experiences, and proof points you carry into the new direction. Most people, Deepak said, own far more than they think. They undersell themselves when applying and then overestimate how ready they are once they arrive.

Financial honesty. Have you actually done the maths or does the offer just look good on paper? Deepak spoke about a professional who accepted an offer for a 7% increase only to realize later that the travel allowance and other benefits had not been factored in, leaving her net lower than before. That mistake happens when you are pushing away from something rather than being pulled toward something specific.

**Testing the move. ** This one is perhaps the most important. Before you commit fully, run a small version of the new direction where you are now. If you want to move into more strategic work, try to find strategic work in your current role first. Get proof before you make the leap because proof lowers fear and risk.

Moving on, let's take a look at…

Person A Versus Person B

Imagine this scenario: Person A quits all at once, tries to become a completely different professional overnight, and finds out too late that the story, the skills, and the timing do not line up. On the other hand, Person B tests the new direction first. They look at their existing strengths in a new context, they build proof, manage the money carefully and move in stages.

Now, if you were investing in someone, which person would you choose? Well, everyone who attended the session agreed on Person B (I hope you did as well.) Deepak didn't stop there tho, he asked the audience, "if we understand this intuitively, why are so many of us behaving like Person A?"

From Switcher to Designer

The frame Deepak ended on is the one I think matters most. There is a difference between switching and designing. Switching is reactive, you leave because something pushed you out. Designing, as it were, is intentional… you are building toward something specific, and each move is a deliberate part of that construction. Both look like change from the outside, but only one of them compounds.

For a practical look at what designing your career actually looks like, 2026 Career Growth Blueprint: How to Build Momentum Without Burnout covers the step-by-step process in depth.

What I Took Away

If I had to summarise this session in a paragraph, it is the question Deepak kept returning to throughout. Am I moving toward something clear, or am I simply moving away from something painful?

Truth be told, moving away from pain simply takes you to new pain. The destination matters, why you are going there matters, and the evidence you gather before you fully commit matters more than the courage it takes to make the move. Granted, it sounds simple. Sadly, it's easier said than done. The good news is, solving this problem is exactly the kind of work RISEUP was built for.

And if you are currently feeling stuck rather than ready to pivot, The Career Plateau Nobody Talks About is worth reading before you make any move.

Sticking with RiseUp, on July 4th, we are launching the new RISEUP@work, a solution for professional decision-making. And we are currently inviting 300 more "Founding Builders" to join our current platform for free.

Join the waitlist, and you will receive 100% Free Lifetime Access to the Builder Tier on the new platform as a thank you for your early feedback.