Two clients I worked with this week had the same challenge. It was a pressure to transition from a salaried worker and somewhat ‘average’ person to an independent, purposeful and passionate person.
The pressure is understandable and enormous. It can feel like standing on a cliff with a huge drop and little in the way of a safety net to catch you, looking out the other side.
I remember flipping the switch when I submitted my letter of intent to be considered for voluntary redundancy. Clicking a button was incredibly simple, but the results had far-reaching implications: for me, my family, my career, my reputation, and my future.
And it was an emotionally charged time. On the one hand, there was the fear that I was doing something wrong, and on the other hand, there was the excitement of change, liberation, and regaining power.
It’s easy to exaggerate the switch to make it appear much larger than it is. It’s a bit like the “it could be you” hand from the old National Lottery adverts, it’s big and actually looks quite evil.
In reality, it’s more likely to be a series of much smaller switches that connect together like a circuit, with the last switch being a leap (or, ideally, a step) into a new world.
The challenge I set for both clients was to design circuits and individual switches that would free them from corporate work and allow them to do more satisfying work.
In my book, I share dozens of ways to do this—small experimental steps that can help you test your new life for desirability, feasibility, and even viability.
One of our customers, Sara, is planning to quit her job and become a full-time florist. Follow her on Instagram! She set a goal to make this a reality within five years. That’s her big switch. It’s far enough away that it’s not that scary, but far enough that it remains an unfulfilled dream.
But in the meantime, there’s a lot Sarah can do to calm her fears and make her dreams a reality. She can (actually plans to):
Sell your bouquets directly to people you know at work.
Build a monthly subscription for a variety of bouquets.
Test whether your local florist can collaborate on a local flower sourcing campaign.
Host a pop-up experience at someone else’s event during the summer.
Sell bouquets, subscriptions or classes as a concession stand at local events.
Run a bouquet-making or wreath-making class.
Test demand for dried flowers to extend your selling season.
You get the idea. And hopefully, you can see how these ideas can apply to you and your next life after the company.
The point is that we don’t need to be overwhelmed by the Big Switch. Like any big problem, we need to break it down into a series of smaller problems that can be solved.
Building confidence is as important as learning what works and what doesn’t, failing fast and early, as well as building a network, understanding your customers better and reducing the risk of churn.
This little switch in the circuit makes life after work much closer and easier to understand. So instead of a giant leap, a high stakes dice roll, you take a step to the other side with a much reduced chance of falling into the abyss.
Closing becomes a simple transaction.
Please keep the mixed metaphors going.
If they’re thinking about quitting their job, but the risks seem too high, how can you make them feel less confident? How can we build evidence and confidence that we will land safely and successfully on the other side?
I am here for you. To prevent you from falling. It also helps you take the leap from the get-go.