I missed the starting gun...

“…And then one day you find ten years have got behind you. No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun...”

These Roger Waters’ words have been resonating in my head the last few months. Being a big fan of Pink Floyd, the words were always there but, making a change to my career after 21 years has made me think about them more than ever lately. I truly feel that I missed the starting gun and it concerns me to think how many other people out there may have as well.

I had grown comfortable where I was at. I was making a good living and supporting my family, but things were getting “routine”. When I was approached by someone that I had known for years and asked if I would be open to a change, I half-jokingly said that I would need to be 6 feet under before I would NOT be open to considering my options. After about six months of discussions and consideration, that simple question was where my new and unexpected journey began.

The change has not been easy. In moving from a small manufacturer, to one of the largest automation, integration and controls companies in the US, there is a lot to learn. In a previous LinkedIn post I had mentioned that the expression “Drinking from a firehose” came to mind with all the new systems, platforms, procedures and solutions within the automation, integration and controls industry. I had previously known little about this industry other than the sensors that I was selling were being used within the building management systems that I am now providing. Frankly, I now feel that I’ve been drinking from multiple firehoses the last few months. Fortunately, in staying in the same data center industry that I’ve been a part of for years, I’m still talking with many of my old customers, only now the discussions have been taken to another level.

The new team that I have joined has done everything possible to make me feel welcome as a part of the team with management continuing to provide me with tools to be successful in my new career path. I continue to be impressed with the encouragement, professionalism, expertise, and attention to detail that I am now a part of. In the last few months alone, I have been involved in more planning, strategizing, team building and personal growth discussions than I probably have been involved with in the last ten years that got behind me.

Change is hard. Feeling comfortable is never a bad thing. But feeling challenged and constantly being encouraged to sharpen the tools to help to overcome those challenges, resulting in personal growth, is a GREAT thing. The expression “Teamwork makes the dream work” has come up more than a few times in the last few months. So true! Making the decision to make a career change was one of the hardest decisions that I have made in a long time but I’m so thankful that I made the decision that I made and that I am where I am now. Today, I’m now with a great company that values, respects and even helps to continuously encourage, and stay involved in, employee’s personal growth to ensure that we are the best that we can be to always provide the best possible customer experience.

I wish that I had taken this uncomfortable step years ago. I am a better person from it.

I only hope that others that may have missed the starting gun might finally hear it!