ARE YOU NUTS?
I know you are thinking, “Gulp, I can’t just leave my job!” A little flutter in your chest goes off. You may even have the edge of a little panic moment. The thought might even kick off a hot flash! I get it. I know.
If you do not resonate with that at all—you either are very brave and are already planning your exit or you love your role and you’re thinking— “why would I leave”? For the rest of you—let’s talk…
ABOUT MY PATH
I was lucky for MANY years to enjoy my career choice. I was damn good at it. I was rewarded year over year for my strong performance. And I had enough risk tolerance that when the company I worked for and I parted ways on culture and philosophy—I would find a new role at a new place and get a salary increase or a change in status that benefitted me!
Fast forward 25 years—It is 2014, I’m 48 and the prior 2-3 years have been corporate chaos(hell)! As a leader in a large corporation, you deal with paradox frequently (talking out of both sides of your face, essentially). You care about people, and you are loyal to your employer—so you make it work for all parties involved-without sucking the joy from your soul.
But when you can no longer believe your own rhetoric and you realize that all your tools and techniques you have used in the past are no longer working—you must decide what to do before you lose your joy, peace, and happiness! Having practiced a higher risk tolerance over the years I decided to plan an escape.
I could not imagine finishing my career doing the kind of work for these major corporations that were displaying very little concern for anyone in the ranks. Mergers, acquisitions, down-sizing, consolidations, by-passing safety all while speaking to quality of life and work-life balance with safety as the #1 priority. The salary was sweet. My soul was getting sour. the girl who preached “choose your response” was running out of ways to choose her response.
I DIDN’T JUST JUMP
Before you say anything, understand I didn’t just jump. I took stock of my life in that moment. I evaluated my options and choices. I looked at my finances. I looked at opportunities. I questioned my motivations. I asked myself hard and necessary questions. I figured out what I could manage without freaking myself out. And I created a plan I could manage and live with AND be excited about implementing.
I had to understand what I wanted verses what I thought I wanted and when? I had to ask the five W’s–Who What When Where Why and then map out the How…And just for full disclosure so you can “see the picture.” I was 48 years old when I started my plan. I made my plans in two-year increments with a timeline of “retiring” by 58 (free to do what I wanted most).
Another fast forward. At 53 I was within reach of my goal. I decided then—because of universal timing to strike out on my own as a consultant for the remaining years until 58 (and thinking earlier). That was January 2020. Covid-19 happened shortly following that. It changed my thinking and my plan. Here I sit at 54, knowing that I can do my freedom now. Comfortably within my risk tolerances and knowledge of my future “means” intact. Life may change things. I am ready. I can change right along with it.
Here are some of the key tools and techniques for you to consider that will make it all WAY less SCARY and FAR MORE achievable.
MY (AND PARTS OF YOUR) FREEDOM CHECKLIST
1. Take Stock
I shake my head as I say that. Sounds so easy to do, but it is daunting. Taking stock of your life! It’s a big deal. It is uncomfortable and emotional. So don’t expect it to happen just once. You will need to continue taking stock. The following items will help you to get that big picture you need.
2. Evaluate Options & Choices
Ask a bunch of questions here. What can you do? Picture your next moves. Who do you know? Do you need to leave now? Can you choose your response better with a plan? What else is going on in your life? What pathways does that create? What if? scenarios are great here. Make a record of it all (trust me – learn from my early mistake).
3. Financial Needs
I know you think this should be number one. But it IS NOT. But it is high on the list. Record your spending—all of it. Every bit. Know your assets and your liabilities. Analyze your spending habits. Analyze your reasons for your spending habits (yes psychological stuff). Go to your trusted retirement advisor. Use a variety of retirement tools and FIRE calculators (Yes new terminology—Financial Independent Retire Early calculators—wonderful tools).
4. True Opportunities
This takes you a step further than # 2 from above. This is where you take your what if scenarios and fill in more details. You need to figure out, if what you THINK are, true opportunities. If you have no money saved and you want out next year—you need to think about realistic options.
5. Motivation I–Going Toward
From the exercise in step 4 you can evaluate plans you think you wish to pursue. You don’t need a lot of them. You just need a few options that make you feel safe, free, and happy. You are going toward a “new” life. Define it.
6. Motivation II–Escaping From
Steps 5 and 6 are interchangeable. Sometimes (often) it is easier to talk about what we don’t want verses what we do want. So here you can indulge in all the things you are trying to escape. It will generate some “going towards,” but tread carefully. Escaping is DIFFERENT from pursuing your “new” life.
7. Ask The Hard Truths
If you have done extensive work from above—you may be ready to ask the hard truths. Is what you are thinking you want REALLY something you want? Trust me you will find a few scenarios aren’t really for you. heck, I am still finding out some of the scenarios I wanted to pursue are not right for me now!
8. Risks Vs. Rewards
So now that you are excited and feeling a little fire under your butt—let me douse it with some water spritzer. How much risk are you willing to take? It is easy to say I’m all in. But if you go back to the beginning of this blog—you’ll remember you asked if I was nuts? Mini panic attacks, hot flashes, and perhaps even a little nausea setting in. You want to feel excited because you have considered what you can handle. The rewards are awesome, but not if you are stressed out along the way.
9. Pulling It All Together
If you have done all the work above—you are at a point where you start pulling it all together. You likely are much clearer than you were at the beginning. Before you pull it all together take stock one last time (for now). Ask some of these questions. Who are the people you have not included and gotten on board? What has changed already for you? If you feel comfortable. Put down your key desires, steps, and timelines. Create checkpoints for you to evaluate. Decide how long you need to plan and how large are your intervals. Figure out – if you have a goal—do you have a plan to achieve it.
END THOUGHTS
I know it is a LOT to digest. Think about it though. If you do NOT start NOW, then when will you? You are free to choose different outcomes as you go along. You will choose different outcomes as you go along. The beauty of this exercise is that it helps you to adapt better to changes and you see more opportunities.
On my website I have some free tools for you to use to help you in your planning. If you find that you need a little hand holding you can contact me for more information about the potential that we have to work together. My final thought for you—If I can do it, I have full faith that you can too!
