I was up for a promotion to Marketing Manager, and had the opportunity to move closer to a large group of my college friends in Greenville, SC. I knew the position wasn't something I would enjoy, and that there was no chance of a second promotion. Still, something was holding me back. The situation ended up resolving itself when TTI decided that they were delaying filling that position indefinitely. The fears didn't stop, though.
The day I put in my two weeks notice I spent the whole day training a new employee and walking my new manager through how things in Atlanta worked. As I went through another repetitive day on the job I knew it wasn't what I wanted, but there was still a security in the expected. When I finished explaining myself to my manager and telling her when my last day would be I got in my truck and took a few deep breaths. That was it. Now there was no turning back.
The next three weeks went by in a blur. I barely had any work to do, and since I wasn't going to be around much longer no one wanted me to start work on long term projects. The head of recruiting called and told me that I was no longer allowed to go to Clemson to recruit, and that I wouldn't be training my replacement. I felt isolated and alone.
Luckily, everyone I worked with was happy for me and the change I was making. Every day I drove to a different section of Atlanta to grab lunch, or work with one of the people who had toughed it out with me over the past year. All their words of encouragement were well intended, but could do nothing to reassure me that I was making the right choice. When I got home at nights I would think about how awful it was going to be to start paying for a car again, to no longer have a guaranteed paycheck every two weeks and, most important to me, not know if I was going to be a success.
Then a small change happened. I found out that the CEO and VP of Sales were coming in to Atlanta the week I was starting at Circus which meant I had just ducked out of some serious work. Suddenly I didn't regret missing that one last paycheck because I would have never been able to prepare for Circus if I had been working 14 hours a day in a Home Depot. My conversations with close friends and family were now about the positive aspects of no longer having my job. That little change made all the difference in my mindset.
On October 4th after almost an entire year of waiting, I finally got my start at Creative Circus. It was everything I had hoped it would be and so much more. Every doubt, every worrisome thought in the back of my mind was gone. This was where I belonged. Obviously, it's way too soon to tell if I'll be as successful as a Copywriter as I was a Sales Rep, but I know I will definitely be happier.
I guess happiness is what it all boils down to for me. I could have spent another 6 months or maybe another year in the Home Depot and I'm sure I would have been promoted, but I wouldn't have been satisfied. I watched my Dad spend my entire childhood working himself to baldness for his original company and then get tossed to the side when he didn't fit their plans anymore. In the back of my mind I have always told myself that if I had to work then I better enjoy it, and Circus gives me the best chance at doing that. I don't know if I'm going to bring home a Lion, but I know that Monday mornings will be a lot less painful if I'm at least doing something I love.
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