Abstract
Drawn from 54 years of experience as a nursing professional, this author gives a personal account of 2 types of career transitions: (1) normative transitions/stages, which include position changes, educational pursuits, and promotion; and (2) cataclysmic transitions, such as dismissal, bankruptcy, and mergers, that arise out of disruptive work situations that dramatically influence one's beliefs, actions, and perspective over time and ultimately shape a career. The importance of influencers throughout a career and lessons learned along the way are also explored.