Today I want to talk about taking the leap. When do you know the time is right to take a risk, like leave your job, start that business, or make a move you’ve been thinking about for a while?
You may have a voice deep down telling you, It’s OK, just jump. But you may hear another voice simultaneously telling you that it’s too risky.
I know this all too well, and what I’ve learned over the years is that important decisions are never black and white.
These decisions — ones that lead to significant changes or that come from your heart’s calling — well, they’re just not very clear cut.
I saw this recently when a friend of mine decided to leave her husband. She knew the marriage hadn’t been working for years, but she kept hanging on to the positives.
It wasn’t black and white; she had reasons to stay and reasons to go. Eventually, the positives were no longer sustained, and that’s what made her choose to leave.
I think back to my own decision to leave corporate to build Work Bigger full-time. There were so many reasons for me to stay in corporate: a steady paycheck, growth opportunities, health benefits.
The reasons to leave started with my heart’s calling, even if, logically, it didn’t make much sense.
There will always be pros and cons to consider whenever you take a chance on something uncertain.
Is there a big decision you’ve been thinking about? Maybe you’re thinking about changing careers, or focusing full-time on your side hustle, or making an investment in yourself.
I want you to throw away the pros and cons list — for now! — and take these three steps instead.
1. It might sound cliché, but follow your heart.
I’ve learned that these big decisions start with a rumbling in your heart. You feel a deeper desire to have an experience or fulfill something important to you.
Take a moment to listen to that calling. What is it telling you? What do you need?
I know your immediate reaction is to go to the how: how can I bring this experience to life? What will it take? How will I make the change work?
For example, if you’re thinking about leaving your job to start a business, your mind may think, How can I survive this financially? What do my finances need to look like?
Put that aside for a moment.
Before you even figure out how to make this happen, first choose to step into this calling.
The actual transition may take some time because variables, such as lining up your finances, might not be handled immediately.
That’s OK.
Commitment is powerful.
To help you follow your heart, ask yourself: is there a time you leaned on your intuition, and it worked out? What happened? What was that like, and what did you learn?
2. Explore your uncertainty.
I knew in my bones that working in corporate was no longer the right path for me and that my heart was all-in with Work Bigger.
But, even though I knew that, I felt a lot of fear — so much so that it took me almost two years to take the leap.
Lean in to what you’re feeling. Your intuition is trying to tell you something — and you may be in a situation where fear turns into opportunity.
For me, that feeling meant I needed more of a backup plan.
Even though I was ready emotionally, I wasn’t ready financially. This is where the how comes in.
I needed to line up my savings, get my husband on board, and have a runway lined up in case it took more time than I expected for Work Bigger to grow.
Are you feeling any sort of uncertainty when you think about taking a big leap? Lean in to that. It’s there for a reason.
3. Be growth-minded.
The point of taking a leap is not for you to live happily ever after. I can guarantee you that won’t happen.
You’ll likely face new, unexpected challenges. That’s life.
When my friend left her husband, she had a sense of freedom and relief. But she’s also now a single mom of two kids. That isn’t easy. She’s experiencing challenges that are incredibly overwhelming — but she’s surviving, and she’s much happier than she was before!
When I left corporate to run Work Bigger full-time, things weren’t always easy. I had new financial stressors and pressures. Our lifestyle felt more constricted.
I share this because, again, the reason to take the leap shouldn’t be that your life will be all rosy on the other side. There will be new challenges.
The point of taking the leap is to fulfill that calling.
Ask yourself: what will fulfilling that call give you?
What are you looking for with this change or this decision? Is it learning or growth? Is it adventure? Is it freedom?
What will open up for you if you take the chance?
How will you change?
What will you learn?
Anchor yourself in these answers. The process and the journey are all part of it.
You’re giving yourself an experience you’re seeking on a deeper level. That’s worth it.
Now I want to hear from you. Are you working through a big decision? What can you take from this article to help you take the leap? Leave a comment or share a question.
P.S. Make sure to download our workbook, Attach to a Purpose, Not a Job to get clarity on what you want, faster!
