The first half of life and career is like laying the foundation of a house—you may not see every structural beam, but they hold everything together. After living in our older home for over twenty years, we’ve upgraded plenty, but one recent challenge reminded me how easy it is to get “locked out” of using the skills, resources, and experiences we’ve already built. One of our bedrooms had an outside-style lock, sealed tight from the inside. After years of never touching the bedroom door locks—raising boys who were constantly in and out—we had no idea one could turn into such a stubborn problem. We couldn’t find the key and spent almost a week trying everything—picking the lock, trying to remove the handle, and even trying to drill through the door knob—without success.

Finally, after sorting through all our keys, including my stash of “mystery keys,” I tried one last option. It fit—and I was so relieved! The handle turned effortlessly, and the door opened. It’s hard to describe how excited I was! I realized that maximizing our skills works the same way. We may have all the pieces and even methods, but nothing unlocks our next chapter until we use the right key—recognizing, affirming, and applying what we’ve already built. That’s how we create a chapter that’s deeply fulfilling, sustainable, and impactful. Included here are five principles that help in maximizing your skills to help you answer “What’s next?” for your purposeful next chapter.