Elena Agafonova

Coach | Author | Career Pivot Guide 🌱

Letters of Change A weekly reflection on change, self-trust, and finding your way forward Begin where you are

Hello and welcome, Reader!

Two years ago, at the age of 57, I decided to publish my first book in English.

It was an experiment.

I challenged myself to write and publish it in seven days.

It took me ten 🙈.

To be fair, I wasn't starting from scratch. Over the previous fifteen years as a career transition coach, I had accumulated a large collection of exercises, reflections, and practical materials. The real challenge was turning them into a book and publishing it.

When the book finally appeared on Amazon, I felt excited.

Then... nothing happened.

No readers…

No reviews…

No sales…

I checked the numbers far more often than I'd care to admit. (Authors may claim they don't do this. I'm not entirely convinced.)

Amazon became one of my most frequently visited websites 🙂

And for a while, it felt as though the experiment had failed.

At least, that was how it looked from the outside.

In reflecting on it now, I can say that something important was already happening.

I just couldn't see it yet.

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The Changes That Don't Show Up on a Dashboard

When we think about progress, we usually look for visible signs.

Results. Numbers. Feedback. Evidence.

And when those things don't appear quickly enough, it's easy to conclude that nothing is changing.

But some of the most significant changes happen beneath the surface.

Long before anyone else notices them.

Long before we notice them ourselves.

Although I didn't realize it at the time, that first book was changing me.

I was becoming more comfortable writing in English.

More confident about publishing my work.

Less worried about being judged.

Less attached to immediate results.

I was learning skills that would help me write the next book.

And the one after that.

And eventually the one I'm currently preparing to publish 🤫.

None of those changes appeared in the sales numbers.

But they were real.

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The Problem With Visible Results

Many people experience something similar during a career transition.

They update their CV.

Take a course.

Have difficult conversations.

Explore new possibilities.

Read books.

Reflect.

Experiment.

And then ask:

"Why isn't anything happening?"

Perhaps because they are measuring only the visible part of the process.

• The job offer hasn't arrived yet.
• The business isn't profitable yet.
• The direction isn't completely clear yet.
• The confidence isn't fully there yet.

And so they assume they are standing still.

But often they aren't.

They are developing the capacity required for what comes next.

The challenge is that these changes are difficult to measure before they actually become noticeable.

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What Happens Beneath the Surface

I sometimes think of career transitions like planting a garden.

For a while, nothing appears to be happening.

The surface looks unchanged.

And yet beneath the soil, something is growing.

Not visibly. But steadily.

Many meaningful changes work this way.

• Relationships.
• Careers.
• Businesses.
• Creative projects.
• Confidence.

For a long time, nothing seems to be happening at all. And yet, beneath the surface, roots are quietly forming.

By the time the flowers finally appear, much of the important work has already been done.

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A Gentle Reflection

If you feel as though you've been trying, learning, reflecting, or experimenting without seeing obvious results, perhaps ask yourself:

The answers may not appear on a dashboard.

But they still count.

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As June comes to a close, I'll be slowing the rhythm of Letters of Change slightly.

During July, I'll be writing every other week rather than every Wednesday.

Perhaps that's fitting.

Growth doesn't always happen on a weekly schedule :).

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P.S. Several readers have shared reflections and stories over the past month. I read every message, and many of them have quietly shaped the themes of these Letters in ways you may not even realize.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

Until next time,

Elena