I had to walk away to find my way back

I had to walk away to find my way back

My career was moving at top speed. I had found my passion in M&A consulting, inspired by the value created when two entities combine into something new and impactful. After years of hard work, I was firmly on track to make partner at my firm. Everything was moving in the right direction. And yet, I had a growing sense of uncertainty.

Was this really my life’s calling? I knew it had been at some point. But, the day-to-day pressures didn’t leave much time for self-reflection. Somewhere along the line I had gone on autopilot and lost that sense of purpose driving me so hard to achieve. It was an unsettling realization, but what could I do? How could I put on the brakes now? All I could think about was how much time I had put in, all the people I would be disappointing, and of course, the financial security I would be leaving behind.

Ultimately, I made the decision to walk away – for a while at least. I was lucky to work for an organization that agreed to give me a sabbatical. It was a big risk, and there was no shortage of people reminding me just how big! But, I was running on empty, and I knew I needed time to regroup and find meaning in what I was doing again.

Over the next few months I went to India to see my folks, traveled a bit, read, and most importantly, met the love of my life and now my wife. The time away helped me to see my career, and my life, differently. I won’t bore you with the details, but suffice it to say, I found what I had lost – my purpose. And, it led me right back to where I started – because I discovered (after a few months away) that I genuinely missed the work and my colleagues.

It wasn’t easy coming back and having to prove myself all over again. Nor was it easy to see all of my peers having been made partner while I was gone. The hours were still as long, the pressures no less intense, but I was reminded why I was in the game, and that changed everything for me.

I speak often about the importance of organizations clearly defining and embedding their purpose so it becomes core to their culture. What this means at the individual level is that each of us should be able to see that purpose in the work we do, day in and day out. And if we lose sight of it, we may need to step away to find it again. What that “step away” looks like may be different for each person, but the underlying lesson is the same: sometimes it takes going off road to find the path you’re meant to be on.

Ana Radulescu

Driving sales with UX focus | Crafting Impactful Products & Captivating Customers

6y
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Raymond Koh

Director, Ecosystem, Strategy & Partnerships - BFSI - InsurTech | RegTech | FinTech | Digital Innovation | Financial Services Innovation | Digital Banking | IT Strategy | AI Aficionado | Technology, Data, and People

7y

Linkedin just reminded me of this post, i Liked in the past. "I had to walk away to find my way back", inspired me to leave my comfort zone, leave my previous job, took a few months off to reflect on what I wanted to do and achieve. Essentially, I too had "Stepped Away" and went off the beaten track, and found a new Journey with Deloitte. (Not planned, it just happened) Fate?

SESAN MUDASIRU A.

MD/CEO VALUE-ZONE PROPERTIES LIMITED

7y

Focus is the key

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Valerie Cloud

Chief Compliance Officer

7y

Great article, it is important to rekindle your purpose and passion. Thank you for sharing as we strive to make an impact in our organizations.

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