Reeves Reflection: The decision to leave a job you enjoy
Let’s be real. We ALL know how easy it is to leave a job we hate. Leaving a job that is draining us takes NO heavy lifting. Yet, how many of us have had to grapple with making the decision to leave a job we enjoyed? And when I mean ‘enjoy’, I’m talking about a job that provides us stability, security, and reliability and we tolerate it because it satisfies all of our needs?
In my life, I have had to make that decision a few times. And let me be the first to tell you, the decisions were NEVER easy.
The decision to transfer to a different job, which meant leaving the job I enjoyed, to further my education. I LOVED my first full time job out of college. I was working in the Headquarters office of a State Agency in Tallahassee, Florida. I was in a college town (FAMU & FSU). The legislature convened there. My place was right off of the interstate. It was perfect. However, I had to make this decision to transfer when I decided if I wanted to pursue a graduate degree. The decision wasn’t easy because I thoroughly enjoyed my job working in the headquarters office of the state agency I was working. The transfer would mean I would have to work in a field office for about 2 years. The downside was that I did not WANT to work in a field office. And I was young so my morale dropped once I transferred out of the job I was enjoying. In the end, I got the degree and a few months later, I would join the Navy.
The decision to leave a job, which meant leaving the job I enjoyed, to further my education. I had to make this decision when I decided if I wanted to become a lawyer. At the time, I was a Naval Officer. I enjoyed being in the Military. Joining the military resulted in a $10,000 bump in pay with free medical and dental. The downside of going to law school was that I would have to leave the military. In the end, I decided to go to law school and eventually became a lawyer.
The decision to leave a job, which meant leaving the job I enjoyed, to open my own firm. At the time I was contemplating leaving my job, I was earning more than I had ever earned (or thought I would earn). My office was across the street from my Alma Mater. I had an office that had an awesome view. I had been practicing a particular area of law for about 6 years so I was fairly proficient in what I was doing. The downside of opening my law firm was starting all over again. This decision would mark the second time in my life I was starting from ground zero. In the end, I decided to open my own law firm and ran it for almost 10 years.
Let me clear that not every decision works out so smoothly. With each decision I made, I made a lot of ‘dumb’ decisions and ‘foolish’ moves that could have derailed what I was doing. Yet, the one thing I realized in each of these decisions was the reality that I grew so much more once I pushed myself out of my comfort zone. Stepping away from a joy you enjoy is tough but sometimes, it takes that big step to walk to you becoming a better version of you and a better opportunity FOR you.
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