It’s taken me almost 3 months to realize how much the patterns of negativity were engrained within me.

I’ve recently realized how much I’ve been tainted by the negative mindset of corporate life.

Perhaps it was the focus of my job as a manager to find problems?

Perhaps it was the influences of the relationships within my life?

Whatever the reason … It’s like a filter that was placed over my eyes that only allowed what was wrong within the world (and other people) through.

Now … don’t get me wrong … I view myself as a fairly positive person and it’s not as if I saw everything as negative.

However … this week I feel as if I’ve become unstuck.

Instead of focusing on what is wrong … I’m now finding myself focusing on what is right within the world!

It’s like I’m now seeing the beauty within everyone and everything.

I find that I’m able to appreciate (is grateful the right word?) the little (and big) things within my life.

By starting each day from this perspective … I am now able to begin from a place of strength.

I’ve already seen benefits of this by being able to see the positive strengths within the personal and professional lives of my Clients.

I’m excited and curious to see what other insights are ahead … to continue to expand my awareness as I move forward on the journey to establish my place within the world.

Change … why does it cause us so much stress?

Changing our routines … changing our patterns.

Making positive changes … implementing change … changing our habits.

Changes forced upon us … can you be forced to change?

Life event changes … life passing us by?

Change happens … we adapt … we make changes … we grow.

When we adapt and grow … these changes … causes even more change to happen.

This cycle of change … put stress on our bodies and our minds … we either change or break!

Is their another choice … is there another way to view change?

What if we were able take the stress that we place upon ourselves … and place it back on the change?

Can change be stressed out?

Can we put stress on the change so that we are able to shape it the way we want?

A way that is fun, challenging and enjoyable.

A way that we feel in control yet there is enough variety to keep us challenged.

A way that we can look forward to change … and are able to reap the benefits of the world that is ever changing.

That way is within us … you know where it is … yes … it’s right there.

Because if we are not experiencing stress or change … then we are dead.

It seems a much better option to live … and I mean really live … knowing that change happens … and that we are able to … stress it and shape it … so that it serves us.

My last official day at the bank was yesterday.

I am no longer employed.

It feels funny … sorting through all the thoughts and feelings.

It’s a weird feeling … balanced between excitement and uncertainty.

It’s exciting … to blaze a new trail … to discover new and exciting things.

Then there’s the uncertainty … filled with all those “what if’s”.

What if … I stayed with the bank?

What if … I made a mistake?

What if … my new business fails?

What if … what I’m doing doesn’t work out?

What if … I fail?

What if? … What if? … What if?

It’s going to take some time … for me to sort through this … to transition to my new role as entrepreneur.

I need to work through the established patterns and habits … and build new ones … leveraging what works … and removing or changing the ones that don’t.

I need create a new set of routines that will allow me to function within this new world.

Instead of … get up … go to work … deal with stuff … go home … spend time with family … go bed.

I need to create a new set of routines involving:

• Writing Book (and Blog)
• Serving Clients
• Developing Website
• Reading and Learning
• Networking
• Exercising / Playing Golf
• Spending time with Family (even more)

Once these new routines are up and running … once I get past the internal resistance … and get off my but … these new patterns and habits will take me to the next level … and I will wonder why I didn’t do this sooner.

I’ve finally received the details of the package.

So … this week has been about understanding the financial aspects of taking the leap.

There’s lots of information to go through and many things to consider …

• Understand the various severance options
• Review details with a lawyer
• Tax implications from an accountant
• Continuation of benefits / insurance coverage
• Etc …

I’ve been planning these activities the past few weeks so basically it’s meeting with a lot of people and going through the details to understand my options.

I know that I will be taking the leap … it’s at the point of mitigating the risks.

The two main risks that I see are:

1. having enough of a cushion (cash) to live on while I build a sustainable business
2. ensuring my family is taken care of if something happens (insurance / benefits)

I know that I will succeed with the business … It’s just that I want to have enough detailed information so that I can make the proper decisions now … that will carry me forward.

What’s the worse thing that can happen?

As long as I make sure that we have proper insurance coverage … in case something tragic happens … the worse thing that can happen is … the business doesn’t make any money … in 12 months I dust off my resume … and get another job as an IT manager.

If I make the right call now … I might be able to stretch out the cushion an additional 2 or 3 months.

If I make the wrong call … I may only have about 10 months (this could even be less as I continue to create even more ‘worse case’ scenarios).

Perhaps I’m getting to caught up in the details … I always feel more comfortable having all the information … all the possible scenarios figured out … before making a decision.

I know as an Entrepreneur I will need to get comfortable with making decisions without having all the information … but I know my success will be determined by how much prep I do in the beginning … so that I can start on the right foot.

This weekend I’m going to be running the numbers through the various scenarios.

This will satisfy my need for information / planning ahead / reduce risk and banish the worse case scenarios from my mind.

I will then be able to focus my undivided attention to building the business.

These things never happen at an ideal time.

You see … we (my wonderful wife and I) have just give birth (mostly my wife) to our beautiful second daughter (we just celebrated her 3 month on this planet last week).

My wife left here day job over 6 years ago to stay home with our first daughter (also very beautiful) who will be turning 8 in April.

So here we are … my wife and I and our two kids … with me wanting to leave a safe and secure corporate job (an 18 year career) … to chase my dream and follow my passion.

If I was on my own … if I was the only one impacted … I would have made the leap years ago … but when you have responsibilities … when other people are relying on you … it’s not that easy.

I told myself that it was more safe and secure to stay within my existing job.

However … is it really more safe and secure?

What I’ve come to realize is that … when you work for a corporation … it is no more safe and secure then working on your own.

You see … the concept of a safe and secure job … is an illusion.

I’ve seen too many lay off’s … too many job eliminations … to continue believing in the fantasy.

Now … don’t get me wrong … you can make a nice living working for a corporation … I did it for 18 years.

To survive in a corporation you need to understand one key thing … don’t count on having your current job forever.

You see … at any moment … the political landscape may change.

Even if you have a great relationship with your current boss … or your boss’s boss … it doesn’t matter.

Someone three, four or five levels up (in really large corporations) may decide that your division will be sold off … or … merged with another division … or … spun off as a separate company … or … outsourced … or … I hope you get the point.

I’ve also come to realize that these things never happen at an ideal time … and if you wait for the ideal time to follow your dream … you will be waiting a really long time.

That’s because … there is no such thing as the ideal time.

Or … (I like this one better) … the ideal time is now.

The only reason that I’m able to do this … is that I started down this path over 4 years ago … when I felt safe and secure.

So I encourage you to do that same thing now … when it’s safe … begin developing your plan … start building the relationships … learning the skills you will need … so that you will be prepared when it happens to you.

And trust me … if you are working for a corporation … at some point in your career … it will happen to you.

And it won’t be at the ideal time.

I’m really amazed at the amount of choice available to me right now.

From a career perspective there a so many options …

• apply for any number of new positions within my existing department
• apply for any of the positions within The Bank
• apply for jobs outside of the The Bank
• make the leap to follow my dream 

What really amazes me at this point is that with so much choice … there is really only one option.

Only one path that feels right.

Only one direction that will take me to where I want to go.

The choice is an obvious one (based on the reason for this blog) that I plan on making the leap.

I have chosen to change careers.

To follow my dream.

Going from employed to self-employed.

Transitioning from Intrapreneur to Entrepreneur.

I just find it amusing that when I have made a decision … so many other choices appear.

And when I have not … the choices seem so limiting … a scarcity of choice if you will.

Does this mean that when we follow our dream … there is only one path … and that path is filled with other tempting offers … to distract us from what we are meant to do?

It’s like we are being tested … when you have made a decision … any decision really … you can count on that decision being challenge in some way … testing our conviction … confirming our commitment to follow through.

But what about those times when there is a scarcity of choice?

I’m not talking about … avoiding choice … holding off a decision to choose … avoiding selecting a specific course of action … so that we can keep our options open.

For in fact … when we avoid choice … we are deciding not to choose … and this is still … in fact … a choice.

So what am I talking about?

I talking about those time when you feel stuck … stuck in a rut … if you will.

When the only option before you is to follow the option that you have always followed.

Staying on that safe, secure, predictable, comfortable path.

It’s interesting to note … that staying on the safe comfortable path is still a choice.

I’ve just decided to keep it out of my conscious awareness.

I’ve given away my power to choose … by living on default … by avoiding taking responsibility for my current situation.

So you see … it really is all about choice … even if I choose not to see it.

The choice is up to me.

And I choose to follow my dream.