53. Seven things you need to consider before quitting that job and pursuing your passion.
At the break of a career path change? Now or never?
See if you identify with one of the following:
You’ve been following your husband to different foreign assignments, but now kids are getting older and you have more time.
You have a job, but you feel increasingly unhappy about what you do.
You have a hobby or interest that you are very passionate about and would like to turn into either a side hustle or a full-time-thing.
I was talking to a client and she is in such a situation: “Should I take the corporate job? Or should I pursue my passion?”
The decision between the “stable” and “safe” path and the “risky” or “unknown” is often not an easy one filled with doubt. I know because I’ve been there.
There are advantages & disadvantages to each of the paths, let me breakdown my thought process.
Here are a few things I tell my clients to consider when making such a decision:
Do you have capital or resources to start and maintain this project for some time until you produce returns?
If you don’t, where will you find the financial resources to get it started and sustained for a couple of years? Investors? Partners? Family?
Will loaning resources put pressure on your business or life?
What is your level of proficiency and knowledge on this field. Are you just starting or are you already a pro?
Are you already known in this new area? Or do you have a network or client base who could be interested in the product or service that you intend to go into. Or will you be starting completely from scratch.
Do you know the basics of how this industry works? How to make money in this type of business?
How much time do you have to “make it happen”? Are you at a stage in your life in which you either make it happen now or forget about it? Or do you have time and could imagine taking it slow while building authority, experience and momentum?
There is no right or wrong answer, it depends on your current financial situation, available time and your own expectations.
I know that the romanticized version is to “madly follow your passion and leave that frustrating job behind”... yes, that is what I did too. But at the time I made that decision, I had already worked 10 years and had enough start up capital. This gave me and my family peace of mind that at any point while running my business, I never had to compromise my family’s financial stability.
Peace of mind was something that was important for me and I was also stuck in a job that I did not like. I was in a non-established position, basically starting from scratch in creating a reputation while re-inventing myself in a completely new city.
I believe that after giving these questions some thought, you need to understand your own situation and level of comfort. If the decision is to keep your current job, while pursuing your passion as a side hustle for sometime, while building experience and reputation, it could also be a good way of building capital for the time when you decide to go-all-in.
If you are at the early stages of your business venture and need more clarity on how your brand should look like, download my Personal Branding Guide:
Hi! I’m Blanca!
I’m a Brand Photographer and Personal Branding Coach, helping female entrepreneurs to create a Personal Brand online that STANDS OUT.
I bring your vision to life, help you come up with one and take you by the hand into the online World if you need me to.