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When I graduated college, becoming a certified teacher required at minimum a four-year degree, student teaching experience, and a six-hour certification exam. I went through the entire process which was a major investment of time and money (four years at Drexel University wasn’t cheap) and at the end of the day decided that teaching in the classroom was not what I wanted to do. My official teaching career lasted just two years.

I remember some of the thoughts leading up to making a decision to leave the teaching profession, feelings of failure having invested so much and not getting it right. I remember feelings of a sense of loss when I thought about how much time I had “wasted.” The voices of family and friends were on constant replay questioning if I was sure and reminding me of what I would be walking away from. Eventually I tuned those voices out, listened to my heart and intuition, and gave myself permission to choose something else. Making a decision to leave teaching was one of the best career decisions I’ve ever made.

Choosing a different career path is an opportunity to start over and create the career you’ve always wanted. If you’ve been looking at your desire or need to change careers as a failure in your current profession, I challenge you to change your perspective. Consider that your current situation has give you enough data to make a different decision that will only work in your favor. Be grateful for what you have learned through the experience and start thinking about how it can help you on the next leg of your journey.

Coaching Question: What decision to you need to give yourself permission to make today?