- When I won a director title and a big salary, I felt like I was at the top of my career.
- But then I suddenly got fired and felt like I invested everything in my career.
- While traveling along the West Coast, I decided I wanted more freedom in my work life.
In September 2022, I reached the pinnacle of success in my career. I moved from one medical technology company to another to take on a director role. It was one step closer to my goal of one day becoming a VP.
The compensation was great. I was making more money than I ever imagined, a nearly 35% increase from my previous position at the director level. Plus, I was leading a cross-functional team at a market-leading company.
In 2023, I completed a full year with the medical technology company and earned a multi-six-figure salary. I was at the height of my dream career and compensation.
Then, less than two years later, it all came crashing down. On April 1 – April Fool’s Day, however – I was told I would be fired and my last day would be May 31.
June 1st would be the first day in my 25-year career in medical technology that I would be voluntarily out of a job. I was given 14 weeks severance pay which would see me through to mid September.
I panicked. I was scared. I was lost. I had given my freedom, my autonomy and my time to a company and an industry that I thought loved me the way I loved it. I was in an existential crisis and needed to figure out my next moves.
I moved in with my girlfriend, opening up a new way of thinking
Around the same time my career took a hit, my girlfriend was moving to Arizona for work. She asked me to join her since I had all the time in the world now that I was laid off.
We started our journey on May 26th from Pennsylvania, where I owned my home. I decided to Airbnb my home to earn extra income while I was out of work and traveling out west. We timed our arrival perfectly to arrive in Scottsdale, AZ, by June 1st – my first official day off work.
Driving across the country those four days gave me a sense of freedom and control that I had never experienced before.
As I drove across the country, I thought: What would my next career move be? If I could do something, what would it look like? I had more questions than answers.
But I knew one thing. I would never again allow a private employer to dictate my financial freedom.
I decided to take control of my career and finances – as well as my time and location. I realized that this was not going to be an overnight achievement and I still needed a job to make my next move towards what I really wanted most.
More travel helped me pave the way forward
We stayed at our first Airbnb in Scottsdale for a month. The view was against the background of the nearby mountains. Even though it was over 100 degrees, I went for local walks every morning.
The promotions helped me clearly understand what I needed to do to take control of my future, career and finances.
The first weekend after arriving in Scottsdale, my girlfriend and I took a trip to San Diego, a five hour drive from Scottsdale. We visited various beaches in the San Diego area, including Coronado Beach. Sitting on the beach enjoying the view, I knew this was what I wanted to be in control of. I wanted to go places and enjoy life on my own terms.
From that moment on, I invested in career opportunities that took me outside of the corporate world. Instead, I invested in becoming a certified leadership coach.
The road trip across the US helped me mentally heal and plan my next steps. Daily walks and road trips to San Diego and other parts of Arizona helped reduce the overwhelming thoughts of being laid off. It also reshaped my understanding of resilience, adaptability, the power of embracing change, and future life moves.
