The alternate path

If you asked me three years ago what I saw myself doing, right as I was dealing with having been laid off for the first time in nine years, I certainly wouldn't have said franchise owner.

In fact, I wasn't really concentrated on my career at that point at all. After a grueling six year stint, climbing the ranks in a single discipline, being laid off was cathartic. I thought my job was making me miserable and the time away from responsibilities and expectations, at least for a short stint, was a good thing. At least that's what I was thinking at the time.

But as time wore on, a new need emerged -- to build my legacy. For too long, I had placed my happiness in terms of how well I served others. And that's not a bad thing on its face -- I still do that to this day. But I wasn't doing it the right way. If the service I provided was not appreciated by others, I ultimately felt unfilled. And I realized I wanted my legacy to be about the lasting impact I left on others -- more relational than transactional.

The next two plus years would not be a journey for the faint of heart. Physical, mentally, and emotionally, I encountered serious challenges that would test my resolve -- but also prove to me that I possessed an inner strength I didn't realize I had.

Along the way, many of the people who were my previous inner circle were lost. And while this hurt, and I still miss many of them, new inner circle members emerged, helping me adopt to a different way of thinking that propels me to this day.

A year ago, the opportunity to enter franchising with Premier Martial Arts emerged in earnest. From day one, I was excited about the opportunity that it presented and what the brand stood for. But it was very different from 15 years in a corporate office. Yes, there were many skills that I acquired that would serve me well -- but this is small business. This is entrepreneurship. Am I ready? What if I fail? What if I have to return to corporate and essentially "eat lima beans" to make up for the mistakes on this chance I would take?

Ultimately, I decided to go for it. Because for too long, I didn't take the alternate path. The alternate path was too scary, too unsure, too risky -- time over mind, I'd always go for the sure thing.

To break out of that mold, I had to do this. To quote a line from the song "Try Everything", I had embraced the mantra "I want to try everything even though I could fail."

In the months since, and not without making my fair share of mistakes, I'm delighted I chose the alternate path. Franchise life is not easy, and I'm probably working more hours that I have in a while. But the hours don't feel like work because there's a passion behind the cause. Seeing our initial members at our East Marietta location enjoying themselves at our soft opening last night was a visual I'll always have in mind.

It wasn't just that I was providing a service -- I've always been like that. It was that I was providing a service that was truly satisfying, even if it was very different from much of my professional journey before.

Some of you reading this may be at a similar inflection point -- it could be you're open to work, it could be you feel trapped in what you do, etc. And I can imagine, for those who feel trapped but still have a paycheck coming in that the fear of losing that paycheck can be daunting. In these crazy times, why would I want to risk a main source of my stability?

But it's precisely our inability to perform self-evaluation from time to time, and see if what currently sustains us is truly best for us, that leads to opportunity costs in our life.

When it's all said and done, not one's tombstone will say "she worked hard". But it will say how you were remembered by loved ones, friends, and family. And to best achieve that, it may mean taking a road less travelled that will be a little risky. That path may work out or it may not. But at least you won't have to sit back and say "what if". You went for it, and all will consider that admirable regardless of result.

I encourage y'all to reflect on this. Some of you may want to act now, others down the road, but at least give the concept some consideration. You may never realize how turning your professional world on its head may actually be the best thing for you and for all around you.