For years, I found comfort in the structure of a job — good performance and network building made for predictability, a sense of security, and an upward trajectory of what I thought I should be focusing on.
But here’s the thing — well, two things: firstly, that security just isn’t true anymore, in the landscape of layoffs; secondly and importantly, comfort doesn’t lead to real growth.
Sure, there is growth in the form of small income increments, or focusing on a niche (in my case, of user experience and design, and managing within the constraints of a team and client expectations).
But there is much more I want to learn and do, outside my expertise. Despite trying avenues within a corporate setting (like getting into the next-generation leadership team, and leading every extra-curricular interest group I was interested in), it wasn’t the exponential growth curve I was craving for.
There are questions, too, that I’ve been asking myself, about measuring the impact I’m making, and aligning my values with the work I’m doing.
So, here I am! I want to navigate uncharted territories, in the form of writing and sharing the synthesis of my learnings, in topics that are much more important to the foundation of how we live life, rather than the products and services we use.
It’s going to start as an Instagram (apparently that’s where the cool kids hang out to network, along with Twitter, but I don’t think I want to go back to that platform), and then a newsletter.
I already know this is going to be a journey, and there will be mis-steps along the way. But I’m excited for the growth, and every step I take towards that.