Sometimes transformations take a while to happen. Five things I learned on my career journey.
Sometimes transformations take a while to pull off.
In December 1999 I resigned from my job.
I gave up a very decent monthly salary and a prestigious role.
Along with it, I gave up the career path I’d dreamt of as a teenager.
I gave up having a building to go to every morning, a team to lead. And with it went the sense of belonging that comes from working at a really cool, creative company.
So what did I give it all up for? A better job running a media empire? A new adventure in Australia?
No, I gave up all the above for a new life based in my spare bedroom in Putney, where I was going to try and make a success of working for myself. I went independent.
Everything was stripped away. The pay packet. The teammates. The stability. The sense of belonging. It was all gone. All the exterior elements that made up ‘me’ disappeared.
It was like peeling an onion. All the layers had unravelled and I was left with my essence. I had to face myself at my rawest. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Leaving all the comfort of what I knew behind to go it alone was tough.
So why did I put myself through all this?
Because I knew I needed to find myself.
Because I couldn’t go on anymore in my former life.
Because I needed to start again, from scratch.
So I became an entrepreneur. I started ventures, recruited collaborators and found clients. I became adept at that magic trick: turning thin air into invoices.
I said ‘yes, I can’ a lot. I followed my curiosity. I threw away a plan.
People looking at me in the early years of my independent career may have thought that it was all plain sailing. On the surface I had it sorted. Running my own business, working for myself, doing my own thing. But the reality was not that simple.
It would turn out to be a long journey. Of self discovery. Of figuring out who I really was. And then rebuilding my working life aligned with who I am and what makes me tick.
My next chapter was a journey towards Me. Finding the work I was born to do.
Looking back, it all came together because of the obstacles. The challenges along the way forced me to pivot and reinvent myself. They encouraged me to be inventive and determined, even when others around me told me to give up. It took a while (it took years). There were no shortcuts. On that journey I discovered strengths I never knew I had… I learned persistence, adaptability and how to flex my creative muscles. I dug deep. It was an adventure.
And so here I am today: comfortable in my skin and at ease with life. Now in my 50s, I can look back and draw on all the rich experiences I’ve had along the way. And keep doing the work I was always meant to do.
Five things I learned:
It’s never too late to alter your career path
Finding yourself is harder than it sounds
Sometimes transformations take a while to pull off
Career paths are squiggly not linear
You can only write your story once you’ve looked back in the rearview mirror
