Embracing Your Own Purgatory: Who Are You Without Your Job?

In this episode, we speak with Geoff Curtis about “professional identity purgatory”: the unsettling space between losing a professional identity and discovering what comes next. Drawing on his own experience, Geoff explores how career disruption and AI challenge our sense of relevance, why busyness can become a way of avoiding discomfort, and the importance of stillness, reflection and vulnerability. He shares insights on letting go of old measures of success, reconnecting with who we are beyond our job titles, and choosing presence and relationships over productivity.

Geoff Curtis is a healthcare communications strategist and former Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Chief Communications Officer at Horizon Therapeutics. Over nearly 30 years, he has worked internationally across the pharmaceutical, biotech and healthcare sectors, in both corporate and agency roles. A first-generation college graduate, he is committed to helping others overcome barriers to opportunity. In his book, Embracing Your Own Purgatory, he explores professional identity, loss and the challenges of navigating life transitions.

Links from the episode: 

Geoff’s book Embracing Your Own Purgatory

Geoff’s LinkedIn profile

Future Voice’s Collective, nonprofit co-founded by Geoff, supporting first-generation communications talent