Knowing Why
I recently made a career shift. To be more accurate, I made the conscious decision to leave a career, in a director position on a path to becoming a VP in finance to go be an individual contributor. I left career growth, a bonus plan, a good salary, a supportive team, and a place where I was making a difference. An atypical move to say the least. Usually, when someone leaves a job they have a reason to leave. Their manager, the company, the culture, poor pay, bad benefits, whatever the reason is, they leave not for greener grass but to walk away from the brown. I’m not leaving to get away. In fact the grass is about the same color today but there is greener grass on the horizon. Let me explain.
You are an explorer on a journey and you have been traveling for years toward a destination. This destination is far away, unknown, at least to you. Others may have travelled some of the paths, you will take, some paths are uncharted, yet to be cut into the land.
As with any journey, you have decisions to make along the way. You’ll encounter offshoots from the main course and you’ll have to decide if it’s a path to explore or to maintain your course on the paved path. You’ll likely make the choice unconsciously, not even noticing the small, winding path encased with trees and shrubbery heading up, into the mountains, but when you do see it stop and ask, “Do I change my path and head uphill or stay the course?” When you don’t know what lies ahead both answers are correct. Your current path may be easier now, but could result in a treacherous climb later. The uphill path may be daunting at first, but will lead to the most breath taking views of the entire journey.
All paths lead to where will go, but you can decide along the way which direction to take. I’m at the point where I see two end destinations, both about the same distance away, with equal amount of work to get there. One path is charted, it’s been walked, there are signs warning of dangers and places to stop and rest. The other path is uncertain. It’s dark and scary, but I have paused to explore.
Thus far in my career I have done the expected, followed the beaten path. I went to a good university, go Pilots! Graduated and entered the workforce. I worked my tail off for a few years. Had some good times, and bad. Met some fantastic friends and burned myself out, so I made a move to greener grass where I spent five years. In those five years I went from individual contributor to assistant manager to manager to senior manager to director. Yes, five years, five promotions. I continued to worked hard, contributing to the company’s success, and investing further in my career. I went back to school and earned my MBA as a way to speed up, trading in my boots for running shoes to accelerate my journey. Always chasing the next opportunity, charging down my path, nearing the next corner expecting to see the route laid out and my destination clearly in the distance only to find the disappointing sameness. Another stretch of foggy sameness.
Then I questioned why. Was my purpose really to continue the sprint to the end? Was the end really the goal to begin with? That’s when I realized I had it all wrong. I have spent the last 13 years running past the fields of wildflowers because I was focused on the destination. I noticed the flowers but figured I could stop later, next time when I’m not so busy. Foolish.
So I am slowing my pace, I am starting down a new path. For the first time this path is the one I want to take. Not because I think I should to meet an expectation.
I don’t know what this path holds, but I can imagine it. Springtime wildflowers, a tree-lined lake to cool me on hot summer days, and pink light reflecting off snowcapped crags as I walk past. This path is beautiful, but not without danger. There are mountains to climb and rapids to navigate all with fewer hikers to help. It will scare me, test me, probably even hurt me, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
See, this path takes me on my own trail. For the first time I am veering away from someone else’s path and making me the main character in my story. Which brings me back to why. I am doing it to inspire others to follow their own path, to pursue their own craft, and to leave behind something to be remembered by.
I have this drive to impart more beauty on this world than I take. From where I stand today I cannot see a way to do that from a conference room.
I need the space to create, to make things, to write, to use my hands, heart, and mind.
I come from a line of makers and creatives. I have skills, developed by my own desire to get out of the desk chair and into the dust. Push a plane, saw a board, but it’s oh so much more. It’s helping people, showing them how, teaching them they can follow their own path and inspiring them to take it. All the while I am building a body of work, my portfolio, my legacy.
That’s my why. Now I encourage you to find yours. Recognize the path you are on. Take a moment to look back and see from where you’ve come and the direction you are going. Question, is it the direction you expected when you were young? Is it leading where you wish to go? Does it feel right or are you wanting more, less, or different? If you realize you need a change, start. There is no better time to try.