What happens when you've achieved everything you set out to accomplish—but the career you've built no longer makes you happy?
Curt Sassak spent more than 25 years building an award-winning career as a chef, working in seven countries and earning the recognition, status, and success he'd always wanted. By 40, he was ready to walk away. The trouble was, he had no idea what came next.
In this episode of The Richard Taliaferro Podcast, Curt shares how losing his passion for cooking forced him to confront a difficult question: Who was he without the career that had defined him?
We explore the hidden costs of staying stuck, why high achievers often struggle to ask for help, and how taking imperfect action can create momentum toward a different future.
We also discuss Curt's journey from chef to career strategist and why he now approaches career transitions the way he once approached cooking: with the right ingredients, a thoughtful process, and a willingness to adapt.
Topics include: Midlife career change, professional identity, overcoming perfectionism, asking for help, career reinvention, and taking the first step toward something new.
To reach Curt:
LinkedIn—https://www.linkedin.com/in/curt-sassak/
Instagram—instagram.com/curt_sassak
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I’m Richard Taliaferro, a certified career coach, former journalist, and curious human. I talk with people navigating reinvention—founders, creatives, career changers, and purpose-driven professionals—about the work they’ve built, the lessons they’ve learned, and what it means to create a life that actually fits.
I write a newsletter each week with more detail on this week’s conversation. Subscribe for more details and insights.
https://www.richardtaliaferro.com/emails
Host/Executive Producer: Richard Taliaferro
#CareerChange #MidlifeCareerChange #CareerReinvention #ProfessionalIdentity #CurtSassak #TheRichardTaliaferroPodcast
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