Making the Leap

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” — Steve Jobs

Very often, one feels strongly about changing the course of their life. But the hardest part is always making the leap. Building on an ancient Chinese proverb, whether a journey is 100 feet or a 1000 miles, it begins by taking the first step. I recently took a leap by quitting my job in London at a Fortune 5 company to explore the world of startups in India. I will outline some of the thoughts I had around quitting my job and making the leap and this may help you if you’re contemplating something similar.

Don’t Get Sucked Into a Comfort Zone

I worked for 3 years at my previous organisation before deciding to quit and a big reason for this decision was I felt that the environment I was in had become a comfort zone for me. And in order to grow personally, I had to leave it.

While in that comfort zone, I was familiar with the environment, I’d built up a network and I was valued. And that is a great feeling. But it’s also called the comfort zone for a reason. The longer I stayed, the less curious I got about the world outside it, I was confined by the boundaries and processes within the organisation and the desire to innovate was beginning to slow down.

Are You Considering Making the Leap?

Based on my experience, here are some initial tips to consider if you are thinking of leaving the corporate world to pursue entrepreneurship or follow your passions.

1. Don’t make the leap for the sake of it

The first thing to note is do not take a leap if you cannot sustain yourself on existing savings/income for at least 6–12 months. The longer the better since there will be uncertainty. If you have people dependent on you, this is even more important to note. You could consider reinventing yourself within your current organisation and pursuing intrapreneurship.

2. Visualize your future

Start with the end in mind. Visualize what your ideal future is and where you see yourself 5 years from now. Look at the incremental benefits of your current career path and see if it’s geared towards that vision. If not, then it’s best to take the leap sooner than later.

3. Connect with People and Build a Network

It’s important to get different perspectives and speak to people who’ve taken similar decisions before. This network becomes even more important when looking for your next opportunities or even co-founders for a new venture.

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