Knowing When to Walk Away

1. The Power of Purpose

Purpose is also a personal and career characteristic. We all need to take time periodically to evaluate our own life purpose and ensure that everything we are doing is aligned with that North Star.

Changing jobs or leaving a company is not a decision to be made lightly, but if your work is not aligned with your purpose, change is likely necessary.

1. Family First

“work-life balance” as I’ve experienced the good and the bad of managing that pendulum. Keeping things in equilibrium can be a full time job in and of itself. There is a tendency and temptation to blame the job or the company, but most of the time the employee is the real person responsible for any conflicts.Like many issues, admitting you have a problem is the first step toward healing. Your personal life and the priorities you hold dear are an important part of your career path decisions, and you need to evaluate those in light of the job AND your own actions.

1. Learn, Learn, Learn

While money, fame, and position are all motivators in their own way, I’ve always been most happy in my work when I’m learning new things. Job content is incredibly important to our happiness and fulfillment, and for me, I need challenges that require me to explore new areas.

My desire to leave my Organization was all about the fact that I didn’t think I would learn anything new, Instead of leaving, I moved to a completely new role where I had to exercise new muscles and face different challenges. When you stop learning, it is time to do something new.

1. People Matter

It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of a particular project or the prestige of a certain role, but life is too short to spend most of your day working with people you don’t enjoy. Ask yourself whether you respect those around you, do they challenge you in a positive way, and do you trust them?

I joined my Organization 2006 in part because I was so impressed with the people I met during a very challenging process – and I was fortunate to work with some amazing individuals. Not everyone in the office needs to be your friend (in fact, that might not be healthy), but if you look around and say “I don’t like the people environment surrounding my job”, then you know it is time to move elsewhere.

1. The Deadly Sins

it is very easy to get wrapped up in career progression and get misled into pursuing new achievements or roles for the wrong reasons – pride, greed, and envy are powerful motivators that don’t usually lead to great outcomes.

Instead, ask yourself if you have the character, the will power, and the sheer grit to take on difficult challenges, climb over or around obstacles, and to strive to be better. And do you have the grace to know when it is time to hold your head up and say “I’ve achieved as much as I can and the time has come for change.”

People face the question at some point in their life “Am I ready to move on to my Act II?” Some have made good choices and/or been able to walk away with their pride and integrity intact while others have struggled with re-defining their purpose and sense of self-worth.

When it comes to job and career re-alignments, timing is everything. Each of us must ask, “Am I self-aware enough to know when my time has arrived?”

CONCLUSION

Walking away doesn't mean retire. Align another job before you quit. financial resources to walk away. When it's time to start a new path in life the only person preventing you from getting a new job is you.