Quitting My Job, Finding My Purpose
Disclaimer: some expletives were used in the writing of this blogpost (sorry mom)..
When I left my strategy consulting position at 26 and entered into the expansive world of limitless career, education and life possibilities, I thought I had a pretty clear idea of what I wanted to do. I had always been what I would describe as a “purpose-driven” individual, keeping an eye on the big picture that I was contributing to by choosing specific daily activities of life and work. I had built my career thus far around the explicit goal of building a kick-*ss resume to position myself to enter the world of impact investing, a decision I made the fall of my senior year with the limited information I had about jobs that existed and how to get there.
On the left: Optimistic at 26 on the brink of leaving my consulting gig. On the right: my first business trip 3.5 years earlier.
Over my years working as a consultant (and my “gap year” working as a teacher in Malaysia), I had begun to develop a deeper interest in education, and thought maybe there would be a way to merge this interest with my original desire to work in impact investing.
What ACTUALLY happened, was I left my job.. took a few steps forward into the incredible freedom of FINALLY managing my own time and decisions, and having an incredible network of opportunities available to me.. and realized I had no f*ing idea what it was I wanted to do with my life.
LOL.
But also, OH SH*T.
In retrospect, I can see that it took almost a full calendar year to really break down all (or almost all..) my conditioning and get at the roots of ME, my values and my vision for my life. It took traveling to Chile to hike in Patagonia, spending a month in Costa Rica amongst a group of beautiful yogis with a wise yoga instructor; it took enrolling in and finishing ⅔’s of a Masters degree, and it took talking with friends, mentors and guides about what I cared about, my dreams and aspirations, who I thought I was and who I ACTUALLY was.
Thankfully I have an incredibly high risk tolerance and waded through these murky waters without running back to the security of a corporate job with corporate benefits long enough to begin to get to the crystal clear springs of true purpose and desire.
I persevered because I knew there was something inside me that wanted to be expressed, and it was worth the “risks” of being an explorer of myself, even if it meant surviving without a title or a matching 401K contribution.
at Anamaya in Costa Rica
Today I am in a place I could not have envisioned two years ago.
I’m doing work that I absolutely love, I have total creative freedom over the projects I give my time to, and I get to choose the clients I invest in, based on aligned values. I’m investing in my education (yes, again), but this time in a curriculum that I am 100% behind, fully believe in and has been a life goal since I was little. Not to mention I have time for the things that matter to beyond my business / self development: my intimate relationship, being in nature, travel and nurturing my circle of friends and family.
I love the last two years of my life, they were filled with some wild adventures and I often ended up in places that made me think “huh, never thought this would happen,” but/and I’m so grateful I did! I also love where I have arrived, in a place that is filled with purpose and clarity, and in a place where I have the tools to keep myself supported when the going gets rough.. Avoiding those “bottom out” type experiences.
Working as a coach, there necessarily is an ongoing process of self reflection and self work. I would be a pretty hypocritical coach if I didn’t also engage in the work I ask all my clients to commit to.
Through this “work” of my own, as well as what I have seen come up in numerous 1:1 and group sessions with young women in the past year, I’ve started to hone in on the things that made the biggest difference to me getting to the place I am now. The exercises that were actually worth carving out a morning to complete, and the conversations that yielded the highest level of clarity and momentum forward.
By refining each segment with clients and mentors, I’ve made sure every piece of this new offering truly delivers the highest bang for your buck (I get it, investing in yourself can be hard and I want this to be 110% worth it)!
And finally I’m opening it up to all of you… *dramatic drum roll*
I am SO SO SO thrilled to announce: The Higher Purpose Program.
The Higher Purpose Program is for the twenty-something women who are seeking answers, self awareness, purpose, direction, guidance and support. This is for the ambitious 20-somethings out there looking for the tools you need to take your life, career and relationships to the next level. This is for those of you seeking greater purpose and impact in your day-to-day life and work… and are you set on creating your own definition of success and a life well-lived.
This work is based directly on the work that I have done myself to achieve success and fulfillment in my life. It requires messy, raw honesty and a willingness to truly examine your life, your choices, your motivations and your desires. It can be uncomfortable.
However, the diamond at the end of the tunnel is MORE than worth these moments of discomfort, of murky water.
The diamond at the end of the tunnel is truly YOU shining as brightly as possible, as aligned to your unique purpose and gifts as possible, and as fulfilled, happy and in flow as possible. Doesn’t that sound truly amazing?
If you’re feeling called to this work, if you somehow stumbled upon this post and are not sure how or why, but it feels like you’ve been led to this place.. I want to talk to you. I want to hear your story, and start to uncover your unique purpose. I also want to answer any questions you have about the Higher Purpose Program so we can both decide if it is a good fit for us to work together!
I’m opening up my calendar for the next two weeks to schedule Insight Calls to find the next ten women who will go through the Higher Purpose Program this summer.
Space is limited because I want each woman who goes through this program to have my total attention. I will open up 10 spots each season (summer, fall, winter, spring) as life and business allow. If you're interested in the work, I encourage you to sign up now!
So, from May 29th - June 15th enrollment is open! If you feel like enrolling immediately because ya get it, and want to make sure your spot is saved, you’re welcome to do that here:
Otherwise, grab an Insight call slot and we’ll chat. By hopping on the phone there is NO obligation to sign-up for the program, seriously. I hate that ish.
Finally, if you're the type who likes to do all the research, I have a resource for you as well. I've outlined the entire Higher Purpose curriculum here.. once you've read through this page you'll have a very good idea of whether the program is a good fit!
I will also be hosting a live Facebook video Q&A session on the Starr Health Co. Facebook this Thursday at 6PM CT to address go through the program details and answer any questions the community has about this new offering. Feel free to tune in if you want to learn more or if you simply want to support me in the somewhat terrifying endeavor of going live on Facebook! :)
Alright, crew. Let’s do this.
Xoxox
Julia