Law #3: Impact Feeds An Ecosystem

Picture a river map.

Chances are, you see a single blue ribbon winding its way forward.

But the truth is, no river exists on its own.

Today we're covering the third and final Navigation Law. Together, these are the strategies people use during moments of uncertainty in their careers to find their way forward:

• Navigation Law #1: Progress Is Dynamic.
• Navigation Law #2: Discovery Requires Uncertainty.
• Navigation Law #3: Impact Feeds An Ecosystem.

Alice Farella Monti, a reluctant solopreneur in the beauty industry in Italy, had found that her definition of corporate climbing was not leading to the success she craved. She began to discover what was possible when she launched her digital brand, but there was still something missing before she felt she had true mastery of her career.

Today, we look at what the final Law shows us about how our influence flows within a larger system.

Finding freedom on the journey

One January morning, Farella Monti walked into her new office, heels tapping on the wood floors, Starbucks cappuccino in hand, past rooms with testers and products to try. As she sat down at the long table in the brightly lit open space with her laptop, she felt proud. 

Despite the HR rep who had told her that her winding career had not had any value, someone was seeking exactly her experience. A headhunter had reached out to her after the general manager saw a magazine profile of her work as a digital entrepreneur. 

“She read to me the job description. I said, ‘Oh, my God, it's me. It's perfect, because they want a mix and match of exactly what I've done,’” Farella Monti said. “I thought it was a nonsense melting pot, and at the end of the day, it totally makes sense for them.

“I didn't even think it was possible, but there's a job that is meant for me.”

Law #3: Impact Feeds An Ecosystem

Purpose is based on what you stand for, not where you sit.

Instead of narrowly focusing on reaching the next rung, Navigators see their influence extend through a larger ecosystem.

She came up with the term “illinearity” to describe her journey. When she delivered a speech on the concept at a conference in 2022, she could tell it resonated. A young woman came up to her afterward crying, saying she’d helped her discover something about herself and what she needed to do with her life. 

Farella Monti once again became an entrepreneur, but without the fear of failure that had haunted her the first time. She shares her story so others can see what is possible when they embrace the idea that progress doesn’t have to follow a predetermined path.

“I did it. And I did it because of the things that I have learned and experienced during my illinear path,” she said. “I am so happy that something that was born in a moment in which I felt a failure in front of that HR (rep) is something that today, people tell me that illinearity frees them.”

Whether you call it illinearity, as Farella Monti does, or the Career River, there is freedom in seeing how setbacks, challenges and the unexpected can all be part of a successful career story.

Success isn't always a straight line. Now, the next time you're facing an unexpected bend in your professional journey, you can call on the Three Laws to navigate. Successfully.

Happy navigating,
Bridget