How did I decide to leave my career in tech?

It’s a question I’m often asked by friends, clients, and people curious about making changes in their own lives.

The decision was not easy, and it required asking myself a lot of hard questions.

Factor #1: Regret

I thought a lot about what I might regret. Not just what I would regret in 5 or 10 years, but when I’m 75 or 80 years old.
– Would I regret making a career change and trying something new? No, in fact, I would probably be proud of myself.
– Would I regret NOT trying something new and sticking with my current situation? Yes. In fact, I would probably often think “what if?”

Factor #2: Failure

I thought a lot about that question in the back of my mind: “What if I fail?”
– I thought deeply about the feelings that come with failure. I gave myself permission to release the opinions of others that might bring criticism or judgement.
– I thought about the growth I would find in failure. I thought about the skills I would still learn even if I failed. I thought about other times in my life when I’ve failed and landed on my feet.

Factor #3: Envisioning my life

What does a future life of freedom and fulfillment mean to me?
– I wanted to see how I was directly helping people, something I didn’t experience often while working at large tech companies.
– I desired the freedom and independence to shape my own life outside of a 9 to 5.
– I let go of the “pressure” to compete with my peers or the fear of falling behind.

Even with all of this, I don’t want to downplay how overwhelming this decision can feel. There were many days when I simply felt paralyzed with fear. It’s okay if you feel the same way.

I leaned on people I trust for support and hired my own coach to help me.

If you’re feeling like you need to make a change but you’re feeling stuck, I can help. Book a complimentary coaching call with me, and together we’ll figure out the next right step for you.