Andy Darnton - I had no idea what else I wanted to do

About The Adventure

What happens in the space between starting to think about a career change and actually making it happen? In this episode, Andy Darnton shares his story about leaving a career as a commercial lawyer.

He talks about the need for change, his concerns about what other people might think, how he started to explore alternative options, why Legal Tech appeals to him, and his experience of getting back into the mountains and becoming a Mountain Leader.

At the end of the interview, Andy asks a question for you to explore if you are thinking about a career change.

Here’s the full list of questions that Sarah asked Andy:

• Can you start by describing what you were going through when you started to think about a change in direction?
• What was on your mind while you were at work? What types of questions were you asking yourself?
• How did you start to explore and find your answers?
• What have been the highs and lows for you so far?
• Do you think that the culture of work can change?
• Do you think that having a purpose is an important part of your career change story?
• Has freelancing given you the freedom that you wanted to spend more time in the mountains?
• Have your stress and anxiety levels changed since you became self-employed?
• Which aspects of the course have you found the most challenging and how did you approach them?
• Why is having the ML qualification important to you?
• As a leader, what do you think is unique about you and the experiences you’re offering to people?
• How has the transition into a leadership position been for you so far?
• Do you think it comes down to exploring different elements of your personality and what you enjoy?
• What question would you like to ask, to help people think creatively about making a change in their own lives?

This episode was recorded while sitting on Kinder Scout by Sarah Lister on 29th July 2022.

Take a look at Andy’s website to see the adventures he has planned, his blog Highs and Lows, and follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

References

Alastair Humphreys

Final notes

About The Adventure has a patreon community where you can support this podcast and receive support with your own career change through a Facebook group and outdoor events in the Peak District.

Visit About The Adventure website to email Sarah, the podcast host, with your comments, questions or suggestions for future guests. Subscribe to Sarah's newsletter to receive episodes in your inbox, along with career change interviews and career coaching questions.

Podcast music is by Tsarzi and artwork by Tiffany-Francis Baker.

Thanks for listening!