Taking the Leap

Taking the Leap?

We can all look back on pivotal points in our lives or our careers and see decision points that made a huge impact on our futures. In my life, I tended to agonize over those decisions and felt paralyzed I would make the wrong choice.??

For example, in my 20s I struggled to find a career direction. I liked too many things to narrow down a definitive path. After college, I took career workshops, went to career counseling, read books, took career tests, explored multiple roles through informational interviews, and created my top 5 list of items I wanted in a role. Trouble was, that didn’t get me any closer to a set of job titles to go after or a strong direction. I ended up working in several interesting jobs but they didn’t ultimately lead me in any specific career trajectory. I put an immense amount of pressure on myself to “figure it out”. The effect was a period of real unhappiness and the feeling I was drifting through life.??

?My parents encouraged me to go back to school and get a master’s degree. I felt that if I didn’t have things figured out already, I wasn’t sure another degree was going to get me any closer. I ended up using some of my savings and some financial support from my parents to learn Spanish by moving to Mexico for 6 months. As I live in California, I thought this would be a good addition to my skillset. Spending my time in 5 hours of Spanish classes a day and living with a local family completely removed me from thinking about my career.??

Through this experience I became very interested in turning the tables and understanding more about the teacher’s experience and how he or she was planning lessons, engaging the students, and helping us become fluent. That led to working towards an international teaching certificate and going back to Mexico to teach English at a university for 3 years which ultimately led to my continued interest in teaching, and subsequently, teaching technology.??

Agonizing over these types of decisions led to a lot of turmoil in my head until I decided to spend a specific amount of time analyzing each decision with pros and cons and then ultimately go with my gut and take the leap. The relief and exhilaration I felt about this new way of looking at life-changing decisions was palpable and freeing. What does “taking the leap” really mean though???

Jumping in ALL the way.????

Once the decision is made, it’s important to not look back and to jump in all the way. You can always change your mind later if you get new information; but if you’re only in halfway, you’re sure to fail.??

Fear?

There is always a good amount of fear (and maybe some doubt) in these decisions (the first time you’re promoted to a manager role, assigned a large new project, moving to a new company or a new role) because they hold so much weight. Stepping into uncharted waters where success isn’t guaranteed means we need more support. Needing that support isn’t a weakness, but more an example of being self-aware that we’re stepping into something new and can benefit from leaning on our network. This could be someone you work with, a mentor, a friend, your manager, or even a coach.???

To sum it up, take the leap! Challenge yourself in new ways that expand your skills and allow you to learn more about yourself, your unique skillsets, and go where your passion lies. And, don't hesitate to ask for support along the way.?

?Even all these years later, I still reflect on the power of this experience.?My hope for you is that this spurs you to think about your BIG LEAP and that you GO for it!