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What if your career could be both brilliant and balanced?

What if everything you’ve achieved—your wins, your failures, your pivots—was actually preparing you for a life that’s more aligned, more meaningful, more you?

In this episode, Dr. Heinz Plaumann shares what it means to live a life fully lived. From global manager in the chemical industry, with over 35 years of international experience, more than 25 patents, and leadership roles across continents—to now mentoring others through career roadmaps, emotional intelligence, and what he calls your “belly fire.”

But Heinz isn’t just a chemist or inventor. He’s also a jazz musician, a teacher, a coach, and the creator of Flashcard Leadership. His story proves that success isn’t just about what you build—it’s about who you become along the way.

If you’ve ever wondered if it’s too late to align your work with the life you truly want, this episode is your reminder that it’s not. Heinz shows you why.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• How Heinz went from science to strategy to coaching
• Why your reputation walks into the room before you do
• The “career roadmap” approach—and how to adapt it as you grow
• The power of emotional intelligence, behavior styles, and being a learn-it-all
• Why success without fulfillment is never truly enough

Favorite Quote

“Don’t be a know-it-all—be a learn-it-all. That’s how you build a life fully lived.”

Resources & Links

• Connect with Heinz: Heinzsight.org
• LinkedIn: Heinz Plaumann
• Watch his Flashcard Leadership videos

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Learn more about Next Success www.nextsuccesscareers.com

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Have you ever looked around at your life, your job, or your carefully planned-out path and wondered quietly - how did I end up here?

Today’s guest, Kristin Hiemstra, asked herself that same question—and instead of ignoring it, she followed the thread. In this honest and empowering conversation, she shares her journey from burnout to clarity, and from performing success to living in alignment.

Kristin is a TEDx speaker, coach, educator, and founder of The Art of Potential. She’s also an adjunct lecturer at NC State where she teaches emotional intelligence and organizational culture to MBA students. From toxic workplaces and personal reinvention to launching a values-based civic project, Kristin shows us what it looks like to live what matters.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How Kristin navigated career confusion with curiosity and courage
• The emotional and physical toll of misalignment—and how she healed from it
• Why emotional intelligence is essential in work and leadership
• What fulfillment really means when you stop checking boxes and start listening within
• How she's creating We the People, a community initiative centered on compassion and agency

If you’ve ever felt stuck in a version of success that doesn’t fit, this conversation will help you reconnect with what matters most and take your next aligned step.

Want more? Watch Kristin's TEDx Talk, Connect with Kristin at www.artofpotential.com, and explore her new initiative at www.wethepeople.community.

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What if the real reason you are stuck is not your resume or strategy but your mind?

In this episode of Your Next Success Dr Caroline Sangal shares the breakthrough that reshaped her coaching method forever The story of one brilliant chemist unlocks the hidden force behind self-sabotage and explains why even the most prepared professionals fall apart under pressure.

You will learn how mental fitness changes everything from how you lead to how you interview to how you show up in life You will also meet the ten saboteurs that hijack your clarity drain your energy and keep you stuck

This episode introduces Positive Intelligence also known as PQ and why it is now a core pillar of the Next Success Method

What You Will Learn

• Why high performers still self-sabotage
• The real difference between emotional intelligence and mental fitness
• How to identify and overcome the ten most common saboteurs
• What the Sage brain is and how to access it during pressure moments
• How to retrain your mind to respond instead of react
• Daily practices to build mental strength in just 15 minutes a day
• Why mental fitness became a foundational part of the Next Success Method

Link to Free Assessments

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Learn more about Next Success www.nextsuccesscareers.com

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In Part 2 of Renée’s story, the real transformation begins. After decades of doing everything right and feeling everything wrong, she said yes to something different: alignment.

We talk about the internal work Renée did inside the Next Success Method—what she discovered about herself, how her past shaped her leadership, and the deep clarity she found on what truly matters.

If you're feeling disconnected from your purpose or stuck in a life that doesn't fit anymore, this is the episode to listen to.

You’ll hear:

• The moment she realized it wasn’t about fixing—but remembering who she is
• How the DISC assessment unlocked old patterns she couldn’t see
• The emotional breakthrough that changed how she leads and lives
• What it feels like to create success on your own terms

Start your own reflection with the Navigating Career Transitions Guide

New here? Be sure to listen to Part 1 first for the full journey.

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Learn more about Next Success www.nextsuccesscareers.com

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She was successful on paper—Director title, MBA, decades of leadership experience. But inside, Renée was burned out, angry, and wondering if this was all life had to offer.

In this episode, we dive into the story behind the success. Renée shares how growing up on a farm shaped her resilience, how she rose through the ranks in engineering and operations, and what it looked like when everything started to crumble.

If you’ve ever felt like your career looks good from the outside but feels heavy on the inside, this one’s for you.

We explore:

• Early career wins and setbacks in engineering
• The hidden toll of being “the strong one”
• Personal loss, burnout, and the breaking point
• Why she finally reached out for help

Remember to get your free Navigating Career Transitions Guide and don’t miss Part 2: Renée’s transformation through the Next Success Method.

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Watch full video episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NextSuccessMethod/

Learn more about Next Success www.nextsuccesscareers.com

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If you’ve been laid off or are navigating a career transition, this episode reveals the 7 most common mistakes people make after job loss—and what to do instead.

Career coach Dr. Caroline Sangal shares practical insights on how resume rushing, panic applying, and desperation networking can sabotage your progress. Learn how to pause with purpose, rebuild confidence, and make aligned career moves that support your long-term goals.

Learn:

• Why your resume might be hurting—not helping
• How fear-based job search strategies backfire
• What to say (and not say) about your layoff

Download your free Layoff Reflection Workbook: https://nextsuccesscareers.com/the-pause

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Subscribe to Your Next Success so you never miss an episode.

Watch full video episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NextSuccessMethod/

Learn more about Next Success www.nextsuccesscareers.com

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What if that fog you’re feeling after losing your job... isn’t failure, but grief?

In this tender and powerful episode of Your Next Success, Dr. Caroline Sangal pulls back the curtain on the emotional aftermath of a layoff—the identity unraveling, the shame, the numbness—and why trying to “stay positive” too soon can actually keep you stuck.

You’ll discover:

• The 5 hidden losses that silently weigh on you after a layoff
• How the 5 stages of grief show up in your career journey (yes, even denial and bargaining)
• Why skipping grief doesn’t save time—it steals your clarity
• A powerful exercise to begin reclaiming your voice, values, and vision

Ready to pause and reflect?
Download The Pause: A Gentle Reflection Guide https://nextsuccesscareers.com/the-pause
It’s soft. It’s grounding. And it’s here to help you process this moment with grace—not guilt.

Because grief isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom. And you?
You’re not broken. You’re becoming.

Keywords: grief after layoff, emotional recovery after job loss, mental health after layoff, what to do after getting laid off, career grief, identity loss after job, stages of grief job loss, layoff trauma, healing after job loss, how to recover from a layoff, Dr. Caroline Sangal, Your Next Success podcast, job transition support, layoff reflection guide, the pause reflection guide, rebuilding after a layoff, job loss advice, career clarity after layoff

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Subscribe to Your Next Success so you never miss an episode.

Watch full video episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NextSuccessMethod/

Learn more about Next Success www.nextsuccesscareers.com

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What if getting laid off wasn’t the end of your career story—but the beginning of something more aligned?

In this powerful first installment of a multi-part series on unexpected job loss, Dr. Caroline Sangal shares the truth about what really happens when the rug gets pulled out from under you. From the shock and shame to the silence and identity confusion, this episode explores the emotional side of layoffs that most people avoid—but almost everyone feels.

Whether it happened recently or years ago, if you’re still carrying the weight of a layoff, this episode will help you pause with purpose and begin writing your next chapter with clarity and confidence.

What We Cover:

• Why layoffs feel so personal—even when they’re not
• The emotional symptoms no one talks about
• How to begin healing and reclaiming your story
• What to say (and not say) to someone who’s been laid off
• Thought reversals that can shift your whole perspective
• Caroline’s personal story of loss, uncertainty, and transformation
• Why this moment might be the very opening you’ve been waiting for

Free Resource: Download The Pause, a gentle reflection guide to help you process your experience and begin moving forward with clarity: https://nextsuccesscareers.com/the-pause

Support the show

Subscribe to Your Next Success so you never miss an episode.

Watch full video episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NextSuccessMethod/

Learn more about Next Success www.nextsuccesscareers.com