It’s almost 3 years to the day since the first Wise Wednesdays edition (Curing cabin fever: 3 strategies), and that I took a career leap and officially started working as my own boss in my own business.
If you’re a recent reader you may have come across Wise Wednesdays because of the edition on work culture (People don’t leave jobs, they leave toxic work cultures). Thank you if you helped highlight the message and were one of the half a million+ people who liked, shared or commented on it.
Some people have asked how I generated that level of attention.
Well, there’s no such thing as an overnight success
3 interdependent reasons:
The reach of the internet which can be used skilfully
Writing an article every week for the past three years (bar a handful of holidays), pouring my heart and soul into them and learning along the way
Willingness to risk ridicule and failure
What often holds people back in sharing their ideas (online, in organisations or otherwise) is the fear of ridicule and fear of failure. So many good ideas die in the graveyard of fear. Don’t let that happen.
3 years on: the pros and cons of a big career leap
You may lose social status, work place relationships, and experience financial uncertainty. On the other hand, you have a lot of freedom, get paid well to do work you love and mature as a human and a leader in ways that most organisational work cultures don’t allow.
I’ve experienced all of these and having replaced my doctor’s income in a short period of time with a job that I created for myself from scratch, I can’t deny a sense of accomplishment.
However, the undertaking is not for the faint of heart, and I recommend most of my clients take a gradual approach and go through a “hybrid” phase to transition into the next level of their career or leadership.
Here are 3 things I’ve learned:
[Read on or watch the video]
The digital nomad/entrepreneur dream is possible even if you’re a conventional careerist
Entrepreneurship is a way of turning uncertainty into opportunity whether in a professional organisation or a private business. The most helpful shift has been in my relationship to risk including risk of failure and rejection.
The key is to shift from an expert-employee mindset to an entrepreneur-leader mindset.
You’ll go from hamster wheel to white water rafting
It can feel strange coming off the hamster wheel of a career track and redesigning your life. A cocktail of emotions can come up as you go through the cycle of change and it’s hard to see the wood for the trees without help.
But you’ll eventually learn to ride the rough with the smooth and experience strength, creativity and insight into life that a conventional career can’t offer you.
As you evolve, you help society evolve
When we lived in tribes - which is 99% of our human evolution - our community was composed of 50 to 150 people. And while it was important to belong to the tribe, those who dared to leave and explore further were the pioneers of humanity.
As you follow your own life’s mission, you take humanity further.
Over the past 3 years I’ve worked with extraordinary people at different stages of the Self-actualisation journey. I’ve learned something from every single client and want to thank them for their commitment. I’m also grateful to my family, mentors and everyone who’s supported me.
Ultimately, success is subjective and as you change your relationship to work and success in an authentic way the societal fabric you’re embedded in also transforms.
For me, embracing the mystery of life and showing up repeatedly for the adventure is where courage and happiness meet.
Have a great week,
Amina
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Dr Amina Aitsi-Selmi is an international Career and Leadership Consultant and Coach. If you'd like help breaking out of a toxic work culture and growing your influence, affluence and leadership impact authentically, let's have a conversation. Book at www.doctoramina.com.