Bold Moves Require Managing Risk
Whether you are an entrepreneur or hold a professional position with a company, we all strive to be the best at what we do. Staying focused and confident in your decisions is not always easy. Do you ever think of leaving your corporate job one day to do something you are passionate about?
Leaving you current position for self-employment can sound exciting, though leaving a good corporate gig to strike out on your own can be a daunting proposition. After all, it means not having a regular pay-check and possibly costing you a lot of money that you have saved over the years.
As with any bold move, there is more than one way to go about it. You can quit your job and jump right in or continue to work and start your new venture in your spare time until you feel it's safe to make the shift.
It's all about managing risk and knowing how much risk you can take
Award winning Life Coach, Morgan Field went through this very thing. In a recent interview in Small Business Trendsetters, Field said, "I wanted to leave my corporate job, I slowly started building a habit of exploring other things I might like to do for a career instead. At first, I spent time each day exploring Life Coaching certification programs. Then I picked a program, signed up, and spent each day learning the material. Then I committed to do one session with 10 people in a week. Then I took on a client. Then I took on another…. Insert a million and five other steps before I finally took the leap and went full time with my own business. I was already running my business when I left my corporate job which made the leap less scary (still terrifying none the less, just a shit ton less overwhelm than had I not taken all those tiny steps first.)"
She went on to say, "Sure, today leaving your company feels like something that is impossible, but when you start to take steps in the direction of leaving that current zone of comfort and you give yourself something new to look forward to for when you leave, something that you build over time, then one day it becomes just another step in your journey to leave the company so you can focus on your new thing!"
There is a point when you have to ask yourself what pain is worse, taking a risk or never fulfilling your dreams
In the first half of the 20th century, Dale Carnegie tapped people’s desire for self-improvement with his book "How to win Friend and Influence People". Anyone who has read the book knows all successes are equally important, whether it is our health, our relationships, or our careers.
Field noted, "It is hard to watch the paralyzing debility of a comfort zone. And it’s so damn sneaky! People don’t even consciously realize that they are falling prey to the comfort zone when they are so deep in it. I have fallen prey to this myself and there are always a buffet of endless choices of justifications why staying in the comfort zone is best, at least for “right now”, you know “just one more day”. I see a lot of people experiencing what I call the “Tomorrow Syndrome” – Today is the day for staying the same, and tomorrow feels like a better choice for making that change. Which of course as we all know “tomorrow” never comes, and the only day that can actually make impacts in our lives is TODAY."
Tony Robins adds to Fields point when he said “If you find yourself saying ‘I can’t do something,’ but you know it in your heart of hearts that if you do it, you’re going to grow, you’re going to be a better person, it’s going to contribute to your family or to your kids or to something that matters, and you keep saying ‘I can’t do it,’ there is no question — you must do it. You don’t discuss it anymore. You just take immediate action… You do what’s necessary.”
We all know this in the back of our minds on some level, but it can be tough taking those first steps. Field said, "It’s important to take inventory on what we want, and then look closely at our actions and words and pinpoint what is in misalignment. If you are stuck, I promise you that you are in misalignment somewhere, and if you can’t see if for yourself then ask a friend, a family member, a coworker, or hire a coach."
If you’re already successful, why would you need help from friends or want to hire a coach?
It’s not as if coaches have secret powers or have some deep-seated knowledge of your industry that could open the door to more success. Coaches are mere humans like the rest of us. However, good coaches can help you see what you’re missing and identify your blind spots. Having a mentor or a coach can also help in moments of self doubt.
Field said, "It even applies to those people who are already wildly successful – No matter how beautiful you are, no matter how much money you have, no matter how much perceived success you have or how much confidence you appear to have, please hear me on this – Self doubt is universal! I feel like there is a debilitating story that those who are consumed by self-doubt tell themselves which is that those who are on the top and living a life beyond their wildest dreams do not experience doubt, insecurity, or fear. That is such a load of crap. There are some things in life that are universal and self-doubt, insecure thoughts, and fear are among the list."
She went on to say, "I heard a statistic recently that said that 70 % of our thoughts are recycled from the day before. Self-confidence comes from providing a new pattern of thoughts. Creating a new talk track. Telling yourself kind things about yourself."
Many of us have entire areas of potential that we’ve never explored or pursued. A good coach can recognize and help you address that. If multi-million-dollar athletes rely on coaches to improve, why shouldn’t you?