10 Things You Realize When You Leave a Career

This post is a companion piece to last week's Ready or Not, Here I Come. I hope this will serve as a reminder for anyone out there going through a transition. From a job, a relationship, or even something as simple as a change in perspective. Doubt and negativity can always creep in if you let it.
 
You have a greater impact on people than you realize
I have written many times about the power of IMPACT and it is in situations like this that it becomes visible. It is not just the former coworkers that reach out and share an obscure story or memory from our past, but people in the community at large that reach out. And not just to me but to my wife and share with her their thoughts and feelings. 
 
Your circle, outside your inner circle, is bigger than you think
It was amazing how acquaintances or past relationships will reach out to connect, share and help during this time. Some people want to hunker down and pull the inner circle a little bit tighter to keep others at bay. 
 
When people reach out to you, they are not being nosey to find out what happened and spread gossip. They care about you; they want you to know they care about you and the vast majority honestly want to be there to help you out if you need anything.  Wow! Think about that.
 
The culture of a company is bigger than the individual
It doesn’t matter how you see the world or how you live the world within your circle of control. The culture of the company moves forward, and the reason is that it isn’t found on the walls, in the building structure or in the products that are produced. It is in the behaviors, values, and attitudes of the people.
 
Therefore, the culture shift begins with the employees - for good or bad. My advice to my former employees was the same as when they were my coworkers, Leaders Lead. You can’t delegate culture, so continue to live it with your actions.
 
The day fills up fast
It’s on you now. There is nobody to delegate to and you are responsible for the beginning, middle and end of the project. You don’t walk down the hall to the supply cabinet, you head into town.
 
One of my big complaints about the workplace is how poor managers allowed BUSY to replace PRODUCTIVE. People being active doing things doesn’t really matter if it is the wrong thing. If it isn’t moving the company forward toward their shared vision, then it probably isn’t of value.
 
You now have to manage yourself, your actions, your priorities, your thoughts, your output. Be careful and don’t let your day become full of reorganizing the closet…again!
 
While the distractions are many, you gain clarity as to what are the distractions
When part of the company, you feel a responsibility to the overall culture so it is easy to get pulled into things that are outside your area. Now you need to lock onto your own Strategic Vision.  Your own Purpose and Why. Once you do that, it becomes obvious if an activity is aligned to YOUR purpose or not.
 
Don’t let anyone discount your worth
Most of the time, people feel embarrassed when a change happens and when it is outside of your control, you feel helpless. It’s easy to adopt a victim mindset and feel sorry for yourself with a “why me” attitude.
 
People are not looking down their noses at you nor are they judging you. If they are, then their opinion doesn't matter. Remember, your value isn’t built on the opinions of others. I am not my job. I am the husband of Jenny and the Father of Zach, Megan, Trey, and Ethan.
 
The ego is dangerous
It is the opposite to the previous one. If you have too much pride, you will miss the opportunities to grow, learn and feel. You shut down others, ignore the situation, and miss out on the friendship, love, and compassion that is being shared by others.
 
The ego can force you down pathways and conversations that are not beneficial to you or others. Be aware, self-reflect, and seek out the advice of those you love and trust to make sure that you are staying grounded.
 
Faith in God is legit!
I shared last week about how I had not been listening for so long. But His word was loud and clear and has kept me afloat which has enabled me to be there for others during this time. Once your eyes are opened again, you not only see Him in your life, but you clearly see Him in the lives of others and sometimes they need that reminder as well.
 
Your leaving might be more uncomfortable on the ones who stayed
What do you say? Do you call? Do you text? Do you wait for them to make the first move? No, we are not talking about a first date, but how do you approach someone that is no longer at your company? Will you just be a painful reminder?
 
I get it. I always struggled on what to do and typically, I wouldn’t do anything. I just went on about my business. Now that I’m on the other side of the equation, I wondered why I had so much trepidation to reach out and share. But I understand and it’s alright.
 
Life Doesn’t Stop
Ultimately, that is the summary of this post. Life. Doesn’t. Stop. It continues to move forward and trying to hold on to the past is a recipe for a sad and lonely life. I don’t want that served up to me.
 
Be ready to hop on the train and move forward. You can always take time to reflect as you are looking out the window at the passing landscape. To remember fondly about where you have been but also to dream about where your life is heading, Beyond Today.

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