Episode 297: The Perfect Job Doesn't Exist: How to Stop Waiting and Start Choosing Your Path with Amanda Hirsch

Written By Erin Diehl
 
 
 

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In this episode of Workday Playdate, we’re busting the myth of the “perfect job” and getting real about what it actually means to own your career. Erin sits down with writer, improv performer, and storytelling savant Amanda Hirsch to unpack the messy, magical process of choosing your own path—no five-year plan required. 

How to Own Your Career (Without Waiting for Permission) 

Tired of waiting for clarity? Amanda says: stop waiting, start choosing. From her days as an office misfit to founding Mighty Forces, a storytelling company that helps people claim their voice, Amanda brings a truth-filled, no-BS approach to navigating career pivots, purpose, and what it means to belong. 

Career Ownership Isn’t a Job Title—It’s a Mindset 

Erin and Amanda dig into: 

  • The myth of the “dream job” (and why it’s holding you back) 

  • How improv teaches us to choose—even when the script’s missing 

  • Real talk on being a corporate square peg 

  • The power of storytelling to rewrite your professional identity 

  • What to do when you feel stuck, stalled, or just over it 

More Than a Resume: Reclaiming Your Narrative 

With her books Improvising Adulthood and Feeling My Way, Amanda reminds us that career clarity doesn’t strike like lightning—it’s a practice. Whether you’re shifting careers, juggling motherhood, or questioning the story you’ve been handed, this convo will spark the career remix you didn’t know you needed. 

Takeaways from Amanda’s Conversation: 

  • You don’t need to “figure it out”—you need to get curious 

  • Your next move doesn’t have to be permanent to be powerful 

  • There’s no “right” job—only right-for-you-right-now 

  • Improv isn’t just for performers—it’s a career survival skill 

  • Ownership starts when you stop outsourcing your story 

Whether you’re staring down a pivot or just craving more purpose, this episode is your permission slip to choose your own path—one unscripted step at a time. 

Because every workday—even the uncertain ones—can still be a playdate. 

Feeling overwhelmed in high-stakes moments? 
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No, You Hang Up First (Let’s Keep Connecting) 

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Connect with Amanda Hirsch 

Connect with Erin Diehl x improve it! 

 
Erin Diehl
Next

Snack 20: Your Career, Your Move: Stop Waiting and Start Choosing What’s Next