What can we learn about consumer behavior from our own feelings when at career crossroads?
The most fulfilling careers aren’t built on titles; they’re built on passion. When you do what you love, work becomes more than a job. It becomes a space for creativity, growth, and impact.
Whether you’re just starting out or reimagining your path, lean into what energizes you. The skills will follow. The opportunities will come. And the momentum you build will be rooted in authenticity – and that’s something you just can’t fake. Because when you love what you do, it shows, and it inspires others to do the same.
This belief is what inspired me to take the leap and start Catapult Insights in 2022. I’ve always been passionate about research, but it can be hard to feel that passion when you’re in a role or company that has different values. So, we created a space for passionate researchers.
Lately I’ve heard from a surprising number of colleagues who are at a career crossroads. Trying to figure out what’s next and feeling like where they are today isn’t really where they want to be. They aren’t feeling the passion they once did.
A perspective shared by a colleague really stuck with me: “people are at a crossroads with their inner story and external existence.” That idea resonates deeply. It captures the tension between who we are and what we do, and embracing that tension can help us better understand our own internal struggles.
But this lens isn’t just useful for personal reflection, it’s also powerful for understanding consumers. Because just like in our careers, there’s often a disconnect between what consumers truly want or need (their inner story) and what they actually do (their external existence).
While daily purchase decisions may not carry the emotional weight of a career pivot, they’re still shaped by a complex mix of internal desires and external constraints.
Lead Users are a prime example: they’re articulate, thoughtful, and highly engaged. They spot problems with today’s products and yearn for something better. Yet, despite that clarity, they often still buy products that don’t fully meet their needs, because those are the options available right now. Other times Lead Users will even abstain from purchasing a product or create their own solution to help them navigate the crossroads they are experiencing.
The dissonance between aspiration and action is something we all experience. Whether it’s choosing a job or a shampoo, our decisions are rarely made in a vacuum. They’re influenced by availability, habit, social norms, and even fear.
So, what if we approached consumer insights with the same empathy and curiosity we bring to our own career journeys? What if we looked beyond behavior to understand the deeper motivations and tensions that shape it?
Have you ever felt like you’re at a crossroads in your career? If so, can you relate some of those feelings to the decisions you’ve made as a consumer? As with Lead Users, do you feel like current solutions are good enough, worth tweaking, or is something entirely new really needed?
Jill Miller
CO-FOUNDER
CATAPULT INSIGHTS