LEFT BEHIND?

A recent LinkedIn prompt – "What do sales leaders need to switch into marketing?" has prompted me to write about this transition phase I have promised to write about. No, I am not going to answer the question here (not yet) .

Years ago, I entered my mentor's office filled with a deep sense of frustration. I was making a move into brand marketing at Unilever after I had worked in sales for 7 years. I wanted to make that leap, but it felt like starting over. So, I needed the wisdom of someone who had been in a similar situation and thrived.

My mentor, Bunmi Adeniba , ever so perceptive, smiled and pulled out a sheet of paper. She drew two lines: one arrow-straight, the other a wild zigzag. "Tunrayo," she said in her very calm and reassuring voice. "Careers aren't always straight upward climbs." Some moves are lateral, many are zigzaggy, like this." She tapped the chaotic line.

"But," she continued, "you're always moving forward. You'll get where you need to be, and the experiences you gather along the way? No one can take those away from you. Each experience, each detour, contributes to your journey. Trust in the process, learn, and enjoy the ride. (i paraphrase her words now,) With clarity, I left her office. Those scattered lines were imprinted in my mind. It was a lesson I wouldn't fully grasp for years. I am grasping it even better today.

Fast forward to recent months. I made a decision that felt like a step back—quitting my job, moving to a new country, enrolling in a program where I'd be the "old" student. It was a path to immigration, yes.? It was the beginning of a new path, different from everything I was comfortable with. It was exciting and terrifying.

?Amidst the excitement of new beginnings, I couldn't shake the feeling of being left behind. The nagging doubts crept in—had I made the right decision? Was I missing out on where I should be? The questions from others were equally relentless: "The Why?, Both Good and Bad Why's. "Why would you?" "Why don't you?" Are you going to have to start over? The puzzled looks didn't help. Social media, with its highlight reels of everyone's most recent endeavour, also fueled the nagging doubt: Should I have?

But Bunmi's words echoed in my mind. I had the gift of preparation, the hand of my maker, and the support of loved ones. I focused on my "why"—my end goal. This was not a step backward; rather, it was a different path, a detour that ultimately constitutes "my journey."

The scattered lines will make sense. There will be unexpected turns, leaps of faith, and moments where we choose growth over comfort. Everything always adds up. The experiences in this season would add up to the promotions of the next season.

To anyone feeling left behind, I say this:

·?????? Focus on your "why." Your reason for choosing whatever path you are on is your compass, and that's enough!

·?????? Ignore the noise. Not every question deserves an answer.

·?????? Embrace the zigzag. Your unexpected turns will shape you in ways a straight line never could. That experience is an asset!

·?????? Keep moving. Every small step forward is progress.

Remember, there's no single timeline for success. It's okay to silence the noise. Your journey is unique, and it's the scattered lines that make it beautiful.

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