After 21 Years, I Almost Left

After 21 years as a business owner, I almost walked away. Here's why I stayed, what I changed, and what I'll keep in mind the next time I find myself at a crossroads.

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My coaching firm celebrated 22 years in business last month. All those years ago, I took an idea/dream/passion/vision I had - to help people work with meaning, live with purpose, and achieve bold and difference-making goals - and officially turned it into a business. What started as a series of mind maps, whiteboard sketches, and scribbled ideas in my journal has now served thousands of people across the globe.

It’s been rewarding, fulfilling, challenging, and purposeful, and I’ve loved the work so much - and even more, the people.

So, is it weird that the question, ‘Is it time to call it quits and move on?’ occupied so much of my headspace in the not-so-distant past?

This essay gets a bit more personal than I tend to share online, but I’m hoping it opens a healthy dialogue - even for the perfectionists, achievers, and Enneagram 3s among us (raising my hand high here!) - and perhaps offers new perspectives to consider when approaching a crossroads of some sort. I’m also including questions I’ve found especially beneficial to reflect/journal on and, of course, a few book recommendations along the way. I hope you find this helpful!