I succeeded climbing someone else’s mountain. Now I want to climb my own - if I only knew which and how. (Dermot’s Story)
From partner to lost identity
For nearly three decades, Dermot knew exactly who he was: an accountant. From age 21 to 49, his identity and self-worth were tightly wrapped around his financial career.
He loved the challenge, the problem-solving, the momentum. He climbed the ladder fast - promotion after promotion, eventually becoming a partner.
But then... it stopped feeling right.
To everyone around him, Dermot was “successful”. His inner story felt very different.
Over the next ten years, Dermot tried everything to reignite that spark - switching firms, moving countries, changing roles. Nothing worked.
The high-status job he’d worked so hard for became a daily drain. He loathed business development tasks and so he avoided them. Instead he buried himself in lower-value work just to feel useful. No one complained, but that only made it worse.
He worked long hours. Missed family time. Lost his joy.
Slowly, chronic boredom and avoidance chipped away at his energy, and over time, his self-esteem.
When he and his family decided to return to his birth country, he took a leap and resigned. No backup plan. Just a determination to find something real, meaningful, and simply better.
“I used to be a soldier - digging deep, charging up and over mountains of accomplishments, collecting promotions like medals. Now, I get to decide which mountain is worth climbing.”
The search for a new Mountain
A few google searches later ("career coach for 40-50") led Dermot to Midlife Unstuck. On an initial call with Lucia, they mapped out his two biggest needs:
A sounding board to explore whether a real pivot was possible.
Personal help identifying meaningful alternatives that matched his background - and his future.
Dermot enrolled in the Fierce Accelerator Programme. After dropping the kids off at school, he carved out time for the deep six-week learning phase, then dug deep personally with Lucia in their one-on-one sessions.
Dermot wanted to choose a new career mountain. But didn’t know how.
The turning point: Rediscovering self, superpowers & mountain choices
Together, they unearthed his unique Superpowers - the skills and traits that had once driven his success and would now form the foundation of his next chapter.
Next, they tackled the biggest question: Which problems do I actually want to solve?
This wasn’t about chasing a job title. It was about choosing a mountain that felt worth climbing.
He attended the “Who’s Driving the Fierce Bus?” masterclass to explore the inner critical voices, sensitivities and fears that had kept him stuck for so long. That work unlocked a new experimental mindset- one that gave him permission to try, to fail, to play.
At one point, Dermot floated the idea of going back to university full-time. Lucia challenged him hard.
Too often, she’d seen midlifers rush into education as a “productive delay” tactic - when taking any action feels delicious. That conversation gave Dermot pause.
“I no longer solely identify as a partner in an accounting firm. It was the central hook of my identity for decades. Shedding that cloak wasn’t easy, but necessary.
Now, I’m discovering new ones. Lighter ones. Ones I’m designing myself.”
From annual reports to a side of joy
Perhaps the most surprising twist of all was this.
An idea that started as a scribble: the long-held, silent dream of writing a book “just for fun” took shape as a children’s story, crafted during one of Lucia’s “shitty first draft” exercises. That hour of creative play turned into characters, plot-lines, and unexpected joy shared with his daughter.
“She’s excited. I’m totally chuffed. It’s a kind of deep pleasure I never expected.”
Having chosen his new work-life mountains, Dermot is enjoying choosing the right kit and filling the gaps in his knowledge to ascend joyfully.
Dermot can see a route forward, where the journey will be enjoyable.
Changes: Identity, freedom and confidence
Dermot's new chapter is taking shape:
✅ He’s landed a part-time role doing well-paid work that uses his financial talents but doesn’t define him.
✅ He’s enrolled in a part-time postgraduate programme in a field he’s been fascinated by for years.
✅ He’s actively exploring a future in a fast-growing industry - on his terms.
✅ He has more energy for his family and for himself.
✅ He's exploring more creative ventures and turning dreams into practical realities.
✅ And he’s lighter, more hopeful, more free.
“Lucia’s direction-finder process challenged my assumptions. I discovered problems I could make money solving - but I simply don’t want to! That clarity was huge.
Now, I’m light and nimble in my thinking and so excited about the future.”
What Now?
If you feel like you’ve been stuck climbing someone else’s mountain for too long - you're not alone. You don’t need to burn everything down. But you do need to discover your mountain.
Let’s figure that out together.
Book in here to discuss your situation and get a recommendation on which of my programmes might suit you best.
If you liked this case study you might like these:
I had a good idea about my future but I had no idea how to test it, let alone make it happen. (Cliona’s Story)
If I do nothing soon, I’ll be in the same situation in 5 years time - and I’ll be 5 years older! (Cillian’s Story)
When work isn’t satisfying enough - but you can’t escape to the circus. (Kara’s Story)
