Years ago, it was common for a mother’s day to begin with waking up extra early, rushing the kids out the door in order to be to school on time, only to be greeted by bumper-to-bumper traffic, then walking unhappily to a cubicle to be locked in for the next eight hours. Does this sound familiar? Maybe this is a scenario you play out daily, or maybe you used to be this woman?
I used to be this woman and quite often hated the way life was unfolding at the time. I hated my job. I hated never being able to spend time with my kids. I hated being forced to stay behind for meetings and employee seminars that I had absolutely no interest in hearing. I felt trapped—locked in a cage with a small paycheck being thrown my way every two weeks. The pay is what made me stay. I felt like a lioness in a cage under the supervision of a zoo keeper who fed me a scheduled and reasonable amount of food. How is a lioness supposed to reach her full potential trapped in a cage? You may see shelter, two meals a day, and safety, but is this what she is meant to do? Is she really fulfilled? She is meant to hunt, reproduce, and teach her young ones the art of survival. She is meant to thrive in an environment where she has adapted and learned the ability to survive. Like the lioness, I was too sheltered. I couldn’t prowl and hunt and freely be me. Was I really happy staring at the same four walls every day? I was meant to take risks and find my own way financially in order to grow and evolve into something extraordinary. Here are three things I learned since leaving my corporate job.
I now have time to explore my every option.
Since then, my small book idea has evolved into a course, a coaching program, and a ghostwriting service station. I could not have achieved this while working my corporate job. Who would have thought? Hunting sales, seeking freelance work, and pursuing clients is a hard task, but it’s been worth it in the end. Yes, I receive no daily paycheck. I have heard “no” a lot more than I have heard “yes,” but moving to the next potential client takes me forward and onward on my journey.
I can stretch and pounce.
Standing in front of the cash register each and every day with a forced smile plastered across my face often made me feel robotic. The routine became boring. I no longer felt as if I was living. I felt cold and mechanical. Today, my days are tough but fun. I set weekly goals that eventually evolve over time. For example, just two years ago, I was setting the goal of implementing a publishing company. Each day, I accomplished the tiny goals that led to the bigger accomplishment and the overall picture: the publishing company. Two years later, I’m setting the goal of servicing and landing celebrity clients in the areas of ghostwriting and speaking. I’m stretching and pouncing and enjoying the journey wherever it may take me. I could not do this locked in an office building.
I’m taking risks.
For me, the sky is the limit outside of the corporate world. Whatever I think of, no matter how big, I go for it and jump. I may not always land on my feet, but whenever I stumble, I get up and pounce again. Imagine setting the goal of landing a huge contract that totals your annual corporate pay. If it falls through, it may hurt, but if it does come through, the prize is even more rewarding than the standard pay I am guaranteed. Imagine sending out ten proposals and landing three. This is amazing. With lots of hard work and confidence, the risks would far outweigh settling for a sure paycheck. The flexibility that comes with this type of freedom is absolutely worth it.
In conclusion, the lioness in me was unleashed the moment I became free. Today, I take every opportunity to embrace a journey that is memorable and extraordinary. Today, I have the freedom to explore, stretch, pounce, and make risky moves. I love it and would have it no other way. Four walls and assured payment are nothing compared to a great big world that was meant to be conquered. If your talents extend beyond a cage, what are you waiting for? This is what leaving my corporate job did for me. It is my hope that this helps you, too. May you find the confidence to be unrestricted and to truly be you—young, wild, and free.
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