Carole Hyatt has been in the business of helping build (and rebuild) careers for almost five decades. She is a serial entrepreneur, an accomplished author and speaker, and someone who isn’t afraid to tell you the truth — especially when you need to hear it. She’s also putting her tremendous knowledge to use in helping women in the military transition into civilian careers post retirement.

As I talked to Carole over coffee recently, she shared her perspective on a number of themes that many of us will grapple with — often repeatedly. We talked about the top reason why people fail, the importance of receiving feedback and really listening to it, the value of networking, as well as why you need to learn to advocate for yourself. One piece of advice that may surprise people is Carole’s perspective on mourning a career transition —  even if you made the choice to shift gears. “Mourning” may sound dramatic, but Carole equates it to saying goodbye to something, allowing yourself to miss it (or to miss certain aspects of it), and then gathering the strength to move forward. She’s lived the advice she gives and tells of having to sell her business when her business partner died suddenly on the couch in Carole’s office after suffering a heart attack.

Carole’s story is one of perseverance, optimism, and having the right mindset about embracing new challenges and opportunities. At 83, she continues to work full-time helping other women find their success and purpose. Carole is a trailblazer and her advice timeless!

You can find all of Carole’s career advice books here