When one door closes; an Insider’s look

“You’re being let go … you and your whole team.”

Hearing these words gripped me by the throat. I felt my eyes burning holding back the tears. In a matter of seconds, a calm came over me. I looked at my soon to be ex-boss saying, “Thank You. This is a blessing in disguise.”

This moment was the moment that started my coaching career. Did I want to be left without a six-figure salary? Of course not! No one ever wants the rug to be pulled out from under them. Yet, the universe has a way of creating “opportunities” that takes our blankie away forcing us to do things differently.

As I was working on my certification for life coaching, I also interviewed for corporate jobs. My heart wasn’t in it and it still felt like what I needed to do. I got offers and said No, thanks. Again, it just wasn’t right for me. I’m going to be a coach. No need to have that comfy paycheck coming in paying the price of mind-numbing work that I hated.

Then, one day, my old boss contacted me. I loved working for him. In fact, I’d worked for him at two different companies in the past. When he offered me a position working with him again, I paused. Working with him would be great. I loved working with him! So, I started looking at the timing of starting my coaching business.

“I can work with him. Do my coaching on the side. And then as my coaching business gets established, say in five years, I can retire from corporate with a business in my back pocket. Yes, that’s what I’ll do.”

This is what I told myself. As the interviewing process got closer, just thinking about interviewing I felt sick to my stomach. And, interestingly, the interviews kept getting pushed out. It was then I realized the time for my new venture into coaching was now. Not one day or someday, but now.

That’s my story. Now, ten years later, I still love my coaching and am thriving in it. For me, listening to the universe, my instinct, my gut was what helped.

Now, this doesn’t have to be everyone’s story. Starting a side business while still working is not a bad thing. As a matter of fact, I encourage some of my clients to do just that if their reason and timing to do so is what’s best for them.

How do you know what timing is right for you? Ask yourself this one question to get you started?

 

Do I love what I’m doing today in my corporate work? At least, love it more than I hate it.

This question alone will help you to decide on your timing. If you’re still loving it, finding it satisfying majority of the time, then stay. And start work on that next step for you once your corporate work is no longer fulfilling you.

From there? Well, that’s another story and process.

Trying to decide on timing for what you want to do next is a big step. Figuring out what you want to do next is an even bigger step.

Book your What’s Next call with me here

Take one step at a time.