I was on the traditional route in life up until I was 22 years old. I was raised in a Christian presbyterian household, completed all stages of education through college, and graduated with a BS in Engineering Science with a minor in Mathematics.
After graduation I found a stable aerospace engineering job and worked there for two years. It was a good, respectable job. My parents and the rest of my family were proud of and impressed with the path I was on.
…Little did they know I was about to quit my job and start chasing my dreams to be my own CEO…
I was satisfied with my job but at the same time I knew, as time passed by, that engineering just wasn’t the long-term path for me. I realized that ultimately I was trading in my time and energy for a paycheck, and I eventually realized that was ultimately a cop-out on myself.
My reasons for not sticking around were the following:
>> I felt I had many more creative passions and talents that I was unable to express at my engineering job. I was committed to a higher purpose. For that reason I felt like I was wasting my time.
>> I didn’t have enough freedom. I got 14 days of vacation, but I needed more than that. I felt like a caged animal at times.
>> I wasn’t passionate about the work. There wasn’t much inspired energy flowing through me when I was at work. Often times I would be thinking about other things.
>> I wasn’t able to directly help people. I’ve always had a desire to help people in the world live better and more fulfilling lives and I didn’t get to do that directly at this engineering position.
>> I was uncontrollably drawn to my life-coaching practice that I had been building on the side for 8 months prior to leaving my engineering position, and wanted to do that full time.
Making the decision to resign as an engineer was a rather long process. I knew I wasn’t fully happy there as an employee for nearly 8 months. But I figured I’d stick around as long as I could and so that I could continue making money.
…But eventually I knew I had to make the transition.
In January 2014 I attended an amazing event called The Higher Purpose Project. At the event I met nearly 40 other like-minded entrepreneurs who had experienced similar situations of being at a crossroads in their life. Some were still at their job, some just left their job and others had stories of living in their car for months as they courageously followed their passions. After an incredibly inspiring weekend with these people, I realized that a life focused on love and purpose is far more fulfilling than a life focused on money and traditional career milestones…
I knew that I had to make the final decision soon.
One week later in February 2014 I gave my boss two weeks’ notice and left my job.
After the big decision, I felt like I was reborn. Literally, I felt like a new person. It was one of the most amazing feelings I’ve ever experienced. I felt in a high emotional state for the week following my decision. After the first week I did begin to freak out and worry about money and paying bills. Luckily, I had some amazing supporters to help me through the process during that time.
I learned from a great mentor of mine, Rahul Bhambhani, to follow my purest and highest excitement in life and how that can never lead me wrong. So that is what I did.
I bought a ticket to Los Angeles as I had always wanted to visit and that was that… But soon after, some worrying came up.
“How am I going to pay my rent for the next month if I’m living in Los Angeles?” I thought.
So I put my mind to work, sent out a mass-message on Facebook to see if any of my friends in the area were looking for a place to stay for the next month.
Amazingly one of my friends showed interest and eventually signed up to sublet my room for the month of March. It was perfect and at the time it blew my mind with how effortlessly things worked out!
So I was off to visit Los Angeles. It was a wonderful, life-changing experience. I spent time with my mentor and other amazing coaches, musicians and talented entrepreneurs (Rahul Bhambhani, Oren Harris, and Preston Smiles are a few). I stayed with friends in Venice Beach, ate delicious, healthy food, met some incredibly beautiful people (inside and out), and learned a massive amount about myself.
Two weeks into my Los Angeles trip and I began planning my next move. I was first considering going home back to Oakland, CA where my family lives; however, I realized that a friend of mine had a room available in New York City and mentioned that I could stay there as long as I wanted! Needless to say, this was hard to resist considering that I didn’t have any obligations now that I was location independent.
So I bought the ticket and three days later headed to NYC.
I went on one of the most romantic and amazing dates I’ve ever experienced, which was one of my specific intentions for that month. I was able to connect with five friends who, as entrepreneurs, enabled me to have powerful realizations about myself and my life. I even started working with a new client without any effort on my part.
It was easily one of the best trips of my life.
Three weeks after I traveled back to Austin, Texas and reflected on the experience.
What did I realize? I discovered that when you trust your gut fully and follow your highest intuition, EVERYTHING works out. In fact, it is almost unbelievable how well things unfold.
The secret is to trust yourself and believe that you can and will make ends meet. You are fully capable of surviving and thriving wherever you go in the world. You will run into the right people, create valuable experiences and make the right decisions even if they may seem crazy to your family and friends at the time.
The Universe, the world, the people around you will provide for you. All you have to do is follow your own sharp intuition and trust that everything will turn out okay.
Jack Peterson is a passionate explorer of life, a personal growth coach and host of the Highly Conscious Man podcast. He has spent the last 6 years of his life exploring what it means to “be a man,” eliminating fears and limiting beliefs, and discovering the fundamental truths about the human experience. His fierce commitment to his own growth and expansion has led him to work with world-class coaches and spiritual leaders. His mission is to lead by example and help enlighten the people of the world.
Image Credit: heyamberrae.com
