By Rolf Crocker

As many of you know, about six months ago I made a decision to change my vocation, moving from 16 years in Community Association Management to Association-specialized Banking.  When the opportunity presented itself, I made about half dozen ‘Pro/Con’ lists, did the interview, talked to a bunch of folks and then jumped feet-first into my new venture.

Adapting to my new vocation has been both a rush and at times, extremely daunting.  Leaving the ‘known’ is difficult:  A new environment (working from home), learning about the inner-workings of a new culture and learning about a new business (new to me, at least!) have all required adjustments in though and process.  Perhaps the largest challenge for me has been missing the interaction with the amazing people I had come to know and deeply appreciate in my former life in management.  However, embracing the ‘unknown’ has yielded some interesting and very affirming truths: 1) I didn’t die or melt, 2) The change brought renewed energy, excitement and edge, 3) I discovered skills and talents that I didn’t perceive I had.  And guess what else?  I found out that there are also awesome folks in my new venture that I have the pleasure of working with!

Prior to considering making a transition, it was difficult to look up and see the forest through the trees.  It is hard to imagine other opportunities when we are immersed in our current environment.  Let me be clear - I’m not an advocate of change for the sake of change alone.  But I found that I had what my friend Jasmine Martirossian refers to as ‘cognitive dissonance’ – the stress that results when our beliefs and behaviors are misaligned.  I needed to take time for some introspection (without self-bashing) to discover what was causing the dissonance.  Too often we wait until the tensions overwhelm us, and then take action.  It is better to deal with tension and stress when we feel it coming on, rather than wait until it becomes a full-blown personal crisis.  Life decisions made in the heat of a crisis are poor at best.

Do not be deceived into thinking that self-evaluation is a sign of disloyalty.  Loyalty is a highly valued trait, and rightly so.  However, keep in mind that your first loyalty is to yourself.  In fact, I would submit that this kind of evaluation is a sign of the highest loyalty to your employer.  On the face, this seems counter-intuitive.  But look at it in this light - if you are not finding joy and fulfillment where you are, you run a significant risk of being a detriment and hindrance to your employer as well as your co-workers.  It is only a matter of time before your attitude affects your job performance and the morale of the team.  I cannot think of a higher level of disloyalty than that.

You have an obligation, both personally and professionally, to evaluate your current situation and see if it is meeting your needs.  If you determine that your needs are not being met, you owe it to yourself to see what other opportunities are available.  You need to be aware of A) your value in the marketplace, B) your capabilities, C) how they are being applied in your current environment and C) if a different opportunity might bring increase to one or both of A & B.  Do not let fear of the unknown keep you paralyzed! 

Life is too short and time is not a renewable resource.  I hit a wall, made the evaluation and made the change.  The growth I have experienced both personally and professionally is substantial and extremely rewarding.  I cannot emphasize this point enough – make the time to evaluate where you are at and, if appropriate, embrace change.  It could be the doorway to your destiny!