Recently, two of my good friends left their jobs -- one had worked at their most recent jobs for three years and the other five years -- and finally shifted course in each of their respective careers. The shift for them certainly was not easy; I had spoken to them over a longer period of time as they had both expressed interest in doing something else but up until they started looking for something different, it was just talk. Their ultimate decision to switch jobs and pursue a new route inspires me.
I've noticed that I, myself, had hid under the covers of "just talk." Last fall, I made a major change in my career by choosing to enroll in a full time MBA program at UCLA Anderson. After arriving at Anderson, I quickly confirmed my interest in being part of a startup and, ideally, launching one of my own. Fewer than two months into the program, I nearly dropped out of the program to pursue a startup with a person I had purchased a table from off Craigslist. While I did not end up leaving the MBA program, it helped me realize how easy talk is and how difficult it is to change paths. I stepped back and assessed what I was seeking in a startup and what opportunities might exist in the future if I chose to "go for it" or keep pursuing my MBA.
While at b-school, I've had the opportunity to meet with and speak to many entrepreneurs and hear their stories. Through the ups and downs, there seemed to be a common thread: at some point, you have to take the plunge and go for it. More importantly, one of the hardest forces working against an entrepreneur is action. I've started to recognize that I've fallen victim to a lot of talk and little action. Thus, I've resolved to take action and start working on ideas that have been brewing in my head. Already, I have jotted down notes and spoken to several of my friends about a few of the ideas; now I am starting to plan and build out a prototype.
I hope to look to my two friends that start their new jobs soon and be inspired to take action and overcome the challenges of inertia and talk.
