You’ve got a great job – you love it! It comes with excellent benefits, you work with good people, but you know in your gut there is something more for you. You know because you still feel this tug of feeling unfulfilled. Alternatively, maybe a situation in your personal life is not only pulling your attention away from the job, but it may also need to draw more of your time.
The security-driven side of you (your brain) tells you to shut down that unrestful voice and stay put, but the intuitive side of you (your heart) wants to explore other possibilities.
I’ve known people who have followed their hearts and left cushy jobs to open their own shops, go back to school in the hope of pursuing a different career path or travel the world. I have always applauded and admired those who have taken that kind of risk. In my case, I wasn’t as courageous; instead, I left a great corporate job to take care of one of my children. She was experiencing a serious health issue, and it required my full attention. Somehow, I never looked back.
Discovering Who You Are Once You’ve Left
While knowing it was the right thing to do for me at the time, leaving my job was the scariest thing I’d done in a long time. Leaving a world where I had established myself as a trusted leader was tough.
Saying goodbye was emotional.
Gianpiero Petrigleri, an associate professor of organizational behavior at INSEAD, wrote in the Harvard Business Review:
“While you say your heartfelt goodbyes, remember that when you leave a beloved job, there is no need to pack light. Take all you can with you, lest you leave yourself behind.”
A big part of my identity was wrapped up in my career. I probably defined myself with my job as much as I did as a wife or mother. Taking that chunk away from me was like taking a piece of who I was. There was a long adjustment period where I felt lost and questioned my place in the world. I knew I was more than my business card, but I didn’t know who that was right away.
As things evolved with my child and both her health and my own began to improve, I knew I wanted to return to the professional world. However, returning to a corporate position wasn’t the right move anymore. I knew there was more, and this time, I decided to follow my heart. I took all the skills I learned in the marketplace (I call this my toolbox) and began my quest to change the world.
It’s scary to jump back out there; I was lucky to have a supportive family and a very patient husband. Looking back now, that was the best move I’ve ever made in my life so far.
Things to Contemplate
While you’re trying to figure out if you should leave your job, for whatever reason, consider the following:
Your History of Following Your Gut – Are you one of those people with good instincts, or does everything you touch turn to mush? My guess is the former. What is the universe telling you to do? What feels right?
Expecting the Unexpected – Whether you’re considering leaving to care for an ailing parent or want to open a cupcake shop, your new life will be full of the unknown. Can you rise to the challenge without the security blanket of your corporate life?
Embracing Failure – I’m not going to lie, I hate failure. Failing sucks. Facing defeat makes persevering so much harder. However, you must. Failure is a sign that you are doing something worthwhile, challenging, and growth oriented. Failing can be a critical driver for success because it teaches you what works and what doesn’t and it helps you set a new path; sometimes the right one.
Self-Discipline – Having the ability to manage my time and emotions while working on my development was difficult without the positive pressure of my former job. I now found myself without: a boss to impress, colleagues to engage with and a team to support me and our projects.
While considering your options, do you have the grit to pursue what you know is the right path despite temptations to abandon it?
Doing What’s Best for You – You get one chance at life, and those with regrets seem the least happy in old age. Think about how you’ll feel about your decision to leave your job in 10 or 20 years. Will you look back and think it was a mistake or, regardless of the outcome, will you be glad you took a different route?
As you consider your options, I encourage you to surround yourself with the right kind of community who has gone before you. Seek a qualified coach and a powerful network of others who have made such a significant move already.
Are you contemplating a change in your career? Let’s have a conversation. Contact me to schedule a complimentary consultation at http://maricarmenpizarro.com/contact-mari-carmen/
