A little under four years go, I wrote a post that started this blog. I had just quit my job at Microsoft. I had done so because I wasn't satisfied with work there and I knew there was something better out there for me. I started on a journey to find that something. Along the way, I got derailed. I decided to stop the journey and take on a corporate job. It was an opportunity that was too good to pass up. But perhaps more important, I knew I was not ready to strike out on my own. I am not sure I had developed the right skills yet or had the right experience. I did not have an idea I loved nor was I actually in the right state of mind to go do something on my own.
Today, history repeats itself; I resigned from my current job. The same story played itself out. I found that I had stopped growing in meaningful ways. To be fair, up until now, I have had phenomenal growth at my current job. I have risen quickly up the ranks of the staff and had significant, meaningful impact and influence at my company. I was involved at the highest levels of the organization and was called upon for the most important of projects. I really don't think I could have had better opportunities anywhere else. But there comes a point when you know there is not much more for you to achieve and I had reached that point. I know there is something better out there for me.
I can't tell you how both nervous and excited I am. The last time I was here, I think in my heart I knew I would eventually just find another job. This time around, that is just not the plan. My wife and I have talked a lot about what we are going to do for the next year and we are both comfortable with the risk and sacrifice we have to do to make this work. While we have prepared for this day for a long time, nothing can actually make you ready for the moment the day arrives when you cut the cord and you go off on your own. I'm nervous but its a strange kind of nervous. I'm not nervous things will go horribly wrong. I'm well protected against that. I'm just nervous about the unknown. There is so much to this I just have no clue about. I know I'm going to get tripped up along the way but it is also kind of exciting. For too long, I have not been out of my comfort zone. It's been too easy to go to work and do my job. There is no chance that this endeavor is going to be easy and I really like that.
Do I think I may eventually go back to corporate America? Perhaps. But you shouldn't live a life of regret. If I never really try to do something on my own, there will always be that.
