Taking the Leap

I used to run question and answer sessions in an entrepreneur group with over 8000 members. As the resident expert in taking the leap from your day job to living your purpose, I got a lot of fantastic questions to answer! Here are some you may have yourself:

Q What gave you the courage to make the leap?

A What gave me the courage was my trust that, no matter what happens, I’ll figure it out and I’ll be OK. It’s a tough concept to get your head around if it’s new to you but, it’s the honest truth.

I’m a firm believer in asking the question, “What’s the worst that can happen?” because, more often than not, the answer is pretty lame – what, I end up broke and living in a tent? I end up jobless and back with my parents? It goes wrong and I end up bunking up on a mate’s sofa until I get my act together? Could that be ANY WORSE than not giving it a shot?

I keep my thoughts positive and my intentions good and I look to others for help and guidance when I’m stuck.

Q So you believed you could do it. Were there any sleeping on a mate’s sofa times? Did your family think you were nuts?

A Haha, I think my family look at me sideways sometimes, but for the most part they’ve learned to let me just get on with it because, like my Dad says, I always seem to land on my feet.

But it’s not that I’m “lucky” – I encounter difficulty like the next person – it’s because I work hard at turning situations to my advantage and I look for the positives.

I stayed with a friend a while when I was in the states and the accommodation I’d organised turned out to not be quite what I’d anticipated! We had a ball and it turned out to be one of my best travel experiences!

Q It seems like belief is one of the biggest pieces, is it?

A Belief and writing down goals. Without intention we just drift and wonder why we’re not getting what we want. We have to set intentions.

Q I hear all the time that you need to have at least six months’ worth of income in the bank before taking the leap. What are your thoughts on this and did you follow this “rule”?

A I highly recommend for anyone with a brand new business that’s bringing in zero income to have a financial safety net before taking the leap out of their day job. In fact, I believe in transitioning, rather than leaping.

I’m a risk taker but I believe that it helps to keep you out of panic mode if your risks are measured. Operating in panic mode brings down your vibration and makes it hard to get what you want out of life.

It depends which country you live in, your outgoings and lifestyle as to whether you need six months’ worth of income. Six months’ worth of a London corporate salary isn’t necessary if you’re pretty frugal and live in Southeast Asia, for example. But six months’ worth of rent and food money for wherever you are is definitely worth having so you’re not operating from a place of lack or worry.

Q My intuition keeps telling me that once I get the courage and take that leap, my whole world will open up, meaning that my business will take off. I’m currently feeling like it’s stuck because I’m not spending the time I need on it. Was that your experience?

A You know, learning to listen to your intuition is the greatest lesson you can teach yourself. All the answers are inside you, you just have to be quiet and go with what feels right, and trust it. When I do this, life is amazing. When I go against it (out of fear or uncertainty) I find I should have trusted it. Every. Single. Time.

Leaving my well paid, secure corporate job in London – well, I think some people thought I was a bit mad. But my insides just told me and I was right to listen. I had a feeling of things not being quite right, like there was something missing, but I didn’t know what. I had everything that society told me I needed – why was I just not “feeling it”? I wasn’t living my purpose – top and bottom of it.

This morning – oh, here I go being vulnerable, haha, sorry about this if it’s uncomfortable – I cried in the shower. Not with sadness, but with complete and utter joy that I get to live in my own version of paradise, doing what I love.

If you want to talk to me about it, I’m here – come over to my Facebook group Work Happy and either post in there, or send me a private message – I reply to everyone. (Unless they’re a weirdo – don’t be a weirdo.)

If you want out of your 9-5 but don’t know where to start – don’t worry, I’ve got you. Send me a message here and let’s go from there.