In the few months I have been away from a corporate world that I served in for 11 years and some odd months, I have relished lessons that anyone with guts to change from employee to self employed/ business owner/ as the popular word has it – entrepreneur, should know before making that giant baby step. For some reason, those lessons are not taught in any institution except one – the school of life.
Lesson 1: Your networks change
It’s pretty obvious that with every change, you will meet new people, form new relationships and do things differently. What is not so obvious is that the friendships you had formed at your workplace, more often than not, almost always die a natural death. You may be removed from a WhatsApp or Facebook (even if you were one of the admins), you may face cold shoulder treatment at the Happy Hour joints and you might find that every time you call to ask where its happening, almost all group members are not sure and each has a reason why they are not going to make it on that day. You’d be surprised if you did a quiet visit and sit at a corner, they will come in just after the traditional time. Because they are sure you won’t be there.
Even a lion knows when it’s time to leave the pride it has grown in and form its own tribe.
My Takeaway:
Don’t be offended and don’t take it personally. As cliché as this may sound, it’s not you, it’s them. You made a decision to be different from the pack. Each of the others that you have left behind silently admire you. It’s like you were all in jail together and you got a presidential pardon and not them, yet there is supposedly nothing extraordinary that would qualify you for such a privilege.
As soon as you handed that resignation letter or you were given a notice of termination, you became an outsider. Even if they cry at the farewell party and there is all that conversation about keeping in touch, you are an outsider.
Your path is a distant dream for them and you chose it. It is good for you because of what you want in and from life, so don’t change the decision to get back into the pack. Even a lion knows when it’s time to leave the pride it has grown in and form its own.
True friendships are those that stick with you all through and those are few and far between. Design your own friendships through revelation and you will find that they are worth the investment.
Look out for lesson number 2 right here. If you are busy and appreciate a reminder, please subscribe to the blog and you will get the lesson straight in your mailbox.
Thank you for taking the time to engage with me.