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Episode #74
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Going from that realisation you want to do something more in your life, and actually taking that leap from your day job to pursue your passion doesn't happen overnight. It's a process of mindset shifts, habit changing, knowledge building and (dare I say it) focused work.
The good thing is that it is work you will want to do. And I promise you it is sooo worth it! And it doesn’t have to be difficult, you just need to focus on the right things at the right time.
From my experience leaving my corporate career and seeing others do the same, I see the transition as having four distinct seasons. Each season has a different focus and feeling and each comes with its own tasks and challenges. The key is to be aware of the season you are in, to focus only on it and not be distracted by your big end goal.
SEASON ONE - AWAKENING
Season one starts when you recognise just how frustrated, unfulfilled and unhappy you actually are with where you are in your life. You know that you want something more, but you’re not sure that you can make the change. It just seems to be so big and there’s so much against you. You need to change this thinking.
This season is about getting yourself in the right head space. Getting rid of old beliefs and rules that have been holding you where you are. This is where you build your self-belief and confidence that you can break away from the norm, you can change break away and change direction. So you need to start telling yourself positive things. Affirmations are a great way to do this. Start telling yourself that it’s normal that you want to do something different. It’s ok to dream of going in a new direction. If you would like to learn more about affirmations check out episode #48 ‘Are You Stuck In A Negative Mindset? Here’s What To Do!’ that covers everything you need to know.
It’s also a time to get back to basics. Just like in Autumn when the leaves need to fall from the trees to allow it to start anew in the Spring, you need to strip yourself back to your true self. To re-awaken the person underneath all those coats of corporate gloss. Because before you can move on to the next season, you need to know who you really are and what you really want.
This is not about what you do next with the next chapter of your life. You first need to get back to basics so you can start again on the right base. Once you are clear about what really want in life, and who you are at your heart and have developed a belief you can make a change, then you can start to look to the future in Season 2.
SEASON TWO - DISCOVERY
If you are in season 2, you have started to believe you can do something else with your life but probably have no idea exactly what you will do or how to get started. You may have lots of potential ideas, or have no clue about even one. You have the right mindset but need help to get further. Where do you get that help?
Well, you listen to podcasts and audiobooks, you can read blogs, articles and books and you can watch youtube videos to explore your ideas and learn as much as you can. Look for inspiration and guidance and motivation in the area you want to pursue. Find and learn from mentors or coaches and connect with people with similar hopes and attitudes. This season is about exploring the world outside of the corporate fish bowl so you can learn what's possible. This can be a great season. A chance to really experiment with your dreams and ambitions.
In this season of discovery, you feel like you are taking action and you are in a way but the danger when you are in this season is it’s very easy to stay in it forever. It makes you feel better because you feel like you are doing something. In reality, you are no closer to making your transition out of your current situation than you ever were. It’s all still in your head.
To move on from this season something tangible needs to happen. Or you will never move on from it. It’s your fork-in-the-road moment. You’ve played around with ideas, you’ve explored your passions and have a clear idea of what you want to do next. Now you need to decide. Are you staying in your current career or are you moving on to something new? No more playing with the idea of leaving the day job, this is real. If you decide to go for the new path, you have to commit to making it happen.
SEASON 3 - BUILDING
Season 3 is where you start to put flesh on the bones of your big idea. You know that you’re now going for it. You are leaving your day job to pursue your passion. You can be on a high after making your decision because, after all your confusion, you finally know what you are doing. Now you need to work out how you will bring it to reality.
This is where you start planning the details of how you will start your business, either on the side or getting it ready for when you leave. If you want to freelance here is when you work out exactly what you need to do to set yourself up as a freelance specialist. If you want to become a consultant or coach you can put together a plan to get you upskilled and set up in that space. This season will take time. There may be a lot for you to learn and discover to be able to make your plan. So don’t rush it. Go easy on yourself.
The danger in this season is that once you come off your natural high from choosing to take the road to a new way of working and the life it brings, you start to think. You start to doubt your decision. So before your excitement fades you need to prepare tools to help you deal with any mental blocks or demons that will try to stop you. So arm yourself with whatever weapons work for you. Affirmations, journalling, accountability groups, getting a coach or mentor along with creating positive habits are a good start. These will help you throughout season 3 and season 4 as you work towards that leaving date.
SEASON 4 - ACTIONING
This is the best season in many ways because you have clarity, direction and confidence. You know what passion you want to pursue, exactly how you will pursue it, and where you want to get to in life, you have a plan and have decided it’s definitely happening.
This season is all about working the plan. Following it, adapting it and checking off milestones on the way. All the while working full time in your job. The main thing in this season is to do what you said you would do. Stick to the plan as much as possible and move forward.
The challenges you will come up with here are going to be similar to season 3. Your main enemy will be your own mind which will constantly make you doubt yourself. The second enemy is the twin challenges of lack of time and energy. But if you have created habits and behaviours to keep you on track you will be fine. Even if you progress slowly, every step forward counts.
So there we have it the four seasons of transitioning out of the day job!
Which one are you in right now? Your next step is to work that out.
Then when you know what season you are in, ask yourself what you have to do to move forward in that season and onto the next.
Set your goals and decide how long you want to stay in that season. The timing you choose can change but it will help you know if you are procrastinating or giving into mind demons if it goes on too long, without a reason.
The main thing is don't give up because you haven’t had time to work on your goals for that season. Keep moving forward, focus on the season you are in and do the next thing. Every action you take to get closer to your goal is a win. Small actions every day or every week can really add up and before long you have made real progress.
It’s also really important to recognise where you are and how far you have come. Too often we're inclined to focus on how far we still have to go to reach our goals rather than thinking about what we have already done. That’s something I know I am guilty of and I’ve been working on improving. One book that’s really helped me with this, and that I recommend you dip into, is The Gap and the Gain by Dr. Benjamin Hardy & Dan Sullivan.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS…
Thinking of your transition to a new working life as a series of seasons breaks the process down into manageable chunks. We all know how quickly we go through the seasons in a year, as we focus on each season at a time it flies by. The same goes for this process, by focusing on one season at a time, it won’t be long before you are in the final season and ‘working your plan’ to exit your day job when it works for you.
As mentioned in the episode
The Gap And The Gain Book by Dr. Benjamin Hardy & Dan Sullivan
#48 ‘Are You Stuck In A Negative Mindset? Here’s What To Do!
