37,000 feet in the air… and I jumped. Because honestly, there was never going to be a better time.
Flying back to Cebu, Philippines (where I lived for 18 years) after a month in Miami with my last ever boss (a nice enough chap, but a god-awful boss), I found myself reflecting on the month’s worth of stuff I’d put up with. As my bum started going numb in the seat, I realized enough was enough.
The Decision that Changed Everything
Blink and you’d have missed it. That’s how fast the laptop came out and my resignation letter materialized in the Word doc that would change my life forever. The moment we touched down in Hong Kong and the laptop connected to the airport WiFi, I sent that letter. No ifs, no buts… and only the slightest bit of trepidation hesitation.
Betting on Myself
After all, I had nothing to fall back on. This was a great job (on paper), and I was great at it. But the time had come to bet on myself. One month later, I was done with that boss, freed from the Rat Race’s shackles, and firmly in the “sink or swim” side of life… you’d best believe I chose the latter!
The Beginning of my Entrepreneurial Journey
After that, my entrepreneurial story began unfolding faster than that jet crossed the Pacific (or so it felt!). From a consulting business offering basic consulting work to a 380-person call centre facility in the Philippines, to today: multiple best-selling books, the Round Table Mastermind, and an address book chock full of incredible people whose entrepreneurial dreams I’ve helped become a reality.
Reflecting on the Journey
Looking back now, it seems so clear…
There’s never a perfect time to bite the bullet and go for it. But when you hit a catalyst, a breaking point, oh boy do you know it. That’s what I hit on that plane ride. But more than that, that was the moment I finally started believing in myself.
I’d been great at what I did for so long that I thought the only option was to do it for someone else. Maybe I couldn’t do it for myself? Maybe I HAD to carry on doing it for other people? But that couldn’t have been further from the truth.
What’s your Story?
What’s the story of you quitting your last 9-5 job? How did you feel when you handed in your letter of resignation? I’d love to know @chrisducker