85% of people hate their jobs globally, and 70% of people are looking for a new job this year. The numbers are staggering.
For corporate professionals, many want to exit the grind altogether. So what stops you from jumping into something new and filled with passion?
Two Words: Fear and Money.
Often, it’s the fear of not having enough money. Like it or not, we grew up with a distinct energy around money and have some feelings around it. It’s what keeps things moving in or lives and provides options.
Money creates freedom. And, if you’re looking to exit the corporate world, money is probably one of the top obstacles between you and freedom.
So it was a scary time when I opted to leave the legal profession. I still had six figures in law school debt, my brain was completely fried, and I didn’t know if anything (or anyone) would catch me when I jumped.
I made mistakes along the way. So, while I can’t do the jump over again, there are a few things I want to offer to someone who is looking to make that jump, but wants their move to be a high-wealth decision.
Ground down
When I work with people, a preliminary step we take is to reawaken their intuition.
Why? When you’ve been climbing a corporate ladder, your focus has been on fitting in and bending over backwards for certain expectations of others.
This isn’t our fault. The way we were raised has a huge influence on how we live our lives today. We grew up taking tests, seeking the validation of others, fitting into a mold, and becoming a cog in a machine.
Fast forward to you trying to make the corporate leap. None of the ways we were nurtured apply when it comes to entrepreneurship!
And, since we are so rusty with following our intuition when it comes to actions and investments, we need to tap into this part of our body and consciousness first.
This might mean that the business idea you put on your vision board is different than what you actually do. Or perhaps you work with people differently than you originally intended.
It’s important to be flexible in the grounding-down process though because your previous goals may have been built on false pretenses, such as people-pleasing, which are not your real truth.
When you’re tapped in, though, you can make it all work. When your intuition is in check, you’ll stop wasting valuable time and energy and be able to charge forward.
Find your support system
It’s easy to want to go super-lean when you’re stepping out of corporate or stepping out of your comfort zone.
Here’s the thing: this will actually delay you from achieving the results that you desire. We want momentum and to light a fire under your butt.
Instead, define (and step into) your support system. That might be having a coach, joining a group of similarly-minded individuals, or investing in some education to expand and sharpen your skill set.
Outside of business or consulting, it’s also important that you keep your body and mind in peak condition, so your support system may include components of self-care that serve you and keep you feeling full.
In entrepreneurship, the blessing and the curse is that you have no boundaries. You want your time to be as high-value and high-impact as possible – this means taking care of your body and mind in a way that allows you to show up 100%.
Manifest, then act
In entrepreneurship, it’s easy to get derailed by volatility. You may encounter feast-or-famine experiences in your first few months.
What’s important here is to stay in abundance. This is different than “stay focused”. Being hyper-focused all the time is a recipe for burnout.
By abundance, I mean having an abundance of energy and ease. When you clearly define how your ideal day-to-day looks and feels, you’ll have a better time memorizing that when those moments arise in your day-to-day and reinforcing them regularly.
This is a two-pronged approach. It’s important to keep your eye on the prize and be manifesting what you want.
But what’s also important is to act on these notions. Don’t let the act of writing your goals down become the only action you take around your goals. Get on the field and start taking swings.
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It’s going to take some time to get the hang of this. You’re learning new skills and undoing large constructs that you’ve previously used to live your life for years or even decades.
But the fact that you’re even reading this article is a good sign; it means you have awareness that a new way of being is on the horizon.
Ground down, find your support system, and take action, and you’ll be surprised at what unfolds as a result.