Every August, I aim to reflect on my decision to take a leap of faith and work full-time for my own company. Here’s a flashback to a note I wrote two years ago, a day after leaving my job.
Written August 9, 2013:
About a year ago, I met someone who changed the direction of my life. At the time, I was working for a gym and wasn’t really happy where I was. I had started questioning if I had chosen the correct profession and wondered if everything I had gone through was for nothing. It took ten years, three relocations, and two rejections to finally get my undergrad degree, become a certified personal trainer, obtain my Masters degree, and become a registered dietitian. Many days throughout the process, I wanted to give up. I wondered why couldn’t I just quit? At the time, it seemed like it would’ve been SO much easier. There were months when I was working almost 80 hours a week between working 40 hours a week at an unpaid internship, 20 hours a week personal training, running my company B. Natural Apparel, traveling across the country to various expos, and having to complete homework assignments for the internship I was a part of. I battled sub-zero degree wind chills, sleepless nights, house centipedes (yes, these deserve to be listed. Look up a picture of them if you don’t believe me!), and extreme loneliness as I had to move to a place where I knew no one in order to complete my journey (Ohio). Then, once I moved back to Houston from Ohio and started personal training, I didn’t feel satisfied. I was never comfortable where I was. I do agree that stepping out of your comfort zone promotes growth, but this felt different. I felt like I was in the wrong place, but I couldn’t figure out what to do about it. I attempted to look for other jobs, but only saw listings for jobs that would still leave me dissatisfied. So, I did what most people do. I got complacent. I got reeeeeal comfortable in my dissatisfaction. I was no longer fully enjoying what I was doing, but I couldn’t see a way out. Then, it happened.
One random day, one of my co-workers asked me if I was looking for another job. He said he had a friend that wanted to hire a female trainer for his studio. I told him I’d love more information. His friend TEXTED me that night asking when we could meet. I thought the text was so unprofessional because I’m used to jobs calling to schedule an interview. I was out with friends when I received the text, so I decided I’d return the text the next day. When the next day came, the friend sent me a text containing only a question mark. I was turned off of the whole thing and did not want to text him back because I thought it seemed way too weird and casual. A friend told me to at least talk to him and see what the job was about, and I could decide after that. I agreed that it wouldn’t hurt to meet him.
I drove over to his studio, and we began chatting. He said the studio was filled to capacity and he was looking to open another location. At the time, I had been personal training for four years. He had been training four and a half. As we continued talking, what stood out to me was the fact that there was only half a year difference in how long he’d been training compared to me, but he seemed to have accomplished so much more. He had a strong clientele base. He owned his own facility. And he was very knowledgeable and confident. The whole meeting really made me feel inadequate. I was wondering, what have I been doing the past four years? I left the meeting feeling like a slacker. Then I reminded myself of all the things I had accomplished over those years. I had received a Masters in Nutrition. I had started my own personal training company in Atlanta. I had moved to Ohio for my dietitian internship. I had completed the internship and passed the exam, becoming a registered dietitian. I had been able to strengthen my faith in the process. My internship led to the job I had up until yesterday. And that job allowed me to at least pay my bills. And now, because of that job, I was able to meet this guy, the personal trainer who showed me that it was time to start taking the next steps.
The truth is, I had grown complacent. I had become the average employee that goes into a job they aren’t happy with, complain about it, and only make a half-hearted attempt to find another one. Meeting him reminded me that I needed to be more and do more. It renewed the drive in me to really start pursuing training on my own again. No, I didn’t have any clients to start with, but God would provide them. About a week after I met him, I officially formed Digg Deep Fitness and put my plan into action. Over the course of the next year, I worked to build my company. After six months, I decreased my hours at the job where I was working so that I could service Digg Deep clients, and I continued building. Part of me wondered if I would ever be able to leave my job, but the other half of me knew I wanted more and pushed me to work towards it.
Then, a month ago, it became evident that I needed more hours available for Digg Deep and would have to leave my job in order to do that. I thought long and hard. Yeah, this is what I had been working towards for the past year, but was it really time? Was I ready to remove the safety net? My heart screamed, “YES!!!” Over the next couple weeks, it seemed to be reaffirmed to me that it was time to leave, and when I turned in my two week notice, I felt no hesitations or reservations. It was time.
Now, a day after jumping into the unknown, I’m excited at the possibilities ahead. Being your own boss comes with a lot of risks and a lot of rewards, and I’m ready to embrace it all. I am so thankful that God has ordered my steps to this moment. And there is no looking back! I have met some great people through my job, from my co-workers to gym members, clients, and exercise class participants. They have made the past two years totally worth it, and they will all be missed. But it is time for a new chapter, and I’m ready to start writing it!
Joy Diggs, MS, CPT, RD, LD, WLS
Certified Personal Trainer
Registered and Licensed Dietitian
Certified Weight Loss Specialist
Owner, Digg Deep Fitness
www.diggdeepfit.com
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