My Bold Move
2020. The year that everyone hopes to forget. However, it was also the year that pushed so many of us to make a change. Often out of necessity, sometimes out of choice but being locked down within my four walls without the constant rush to the next thing, gave me much-needed time to reflect and that led to my career pivot. Cut to January 2021 when I started my new role as CEO of Clementine. An opportunity to lead an incredibly exciting brand with the mission to reduce anxiety and build self-confidence for millions of women. A chance for me to effect positive change at scale.
Bold moves are different from big moves, it’s not just about upward progression, getting the ‘big job’ and constantly pushing ahead. Bold moves are about making the changes that feel right for you, your mental health and your life.
So, if there are lots of you out there who feel their past year has been on hold and are ready to take the plunge, here’s what I’ve learnt from my bold move:
1. You can do it!
After 20 plus years in advertising, the thought of leaving an industry I loved was terrifying. The job description looked enormous and you’ve got none of the social currency that you’d built up over the years. But then you do it and you realise that you are capable and that learning and being curious and doing new things is energising not paralysing. In the words of my favourite Clementine morning session, ‘I got this sh*t’.
2. Do some research
I’m afraid it’s a boring one. But important all the same. Have you done enough research to know how you can tighten your belt/commute to work from your new yurt life in a wood/whether your business idea is viable? Otherwise, it’s a pipe dream and not a bold move.
3. But don’t overthink it!
Do a few ‘what ifs?’ but you can’t think through every possibility, sometimes you just have to do it. And if something forces you to take the plunge then try to think that a positive will come out of it. At Clementine, we’re interviewing loads of women at the moment on their bold moves and in most instances, something really cr*p led them to what they’re now doing and they look back on it with gratitude. (I’m also aware that saying that to someone who has just been made redundant is one of the most annoying things you can say.)
4. Think about why you’re leaving
Sometimes you have no choice and you just have to go for it. But if you’re making this decision, then think about whether you are escaping the situation you’re in, or you’re excited about where you’re going. Sometimes if you’re coming out of a bad situation, it can lead you to make the wrong choice (think rebound boyfriends here!). Try to analyse what you’re escaping and make sure that your choices aren’t a reaction to that. Easier said than done, so maybe enlist the help of an honest friend or two who will really say it to you straight.
5. Bold moves make you bolder.
When a bold move pays off, it gives you the confidence to believe in yourself, which in turn encourages you to be bolder. You also meet a bunch of bold, brilliant people on the journey which is a great reminder that there’s a vibrant community of people who have made sideways or unexpected moves that have completely changed their lives for the better.