Reposted from Tim Richardson

We all face tough choices in life:

• Changing jobs

• Moving to a new city

• Taking a sabbatical

• Starting a business

• Going back to school

These pivotal moments rarely come with guarantees. They can feel overwhelming — even paralyzing. But how we choose our path can shape the entire trajectory of our personal and professional lives.

Why Clarity Drives Action and Success

Clarity fuels confidence. And confidence drives action. When you’re standing at a fork in the road, sometimes the fog doesn’t lift until you start walking.

My Personal Turning Point

Tomorrow marks the anniversary of one of the biggest career changes I’ve ever made — leaving my first post-college job to pursue my graduate degree and launch a speaking business.

I was 25. Working at IBM. I had just bought a five-bedroom house, a Jeep CJ7, and a golden retriever. Life felt stable.

Secure.

But something inside was stirring — a desire for a different path.

My plan?

Take a two-year leave of absence to finish my master’s degree. Then launch a speaking business. I pitched IBM the idea: let me study full-time for two semesters, and if it didn’t work out, I’d return to IBM and become an instructor in the Atlanta education center.

I had mentors. I had a plan. I had peace about the decision.

But IBM said no.

I was devastated. I went for a walk. I played with my dog. I cried and I prayed.

That backup plan was everything to me — and now it was gone.

So I had a decision to make:

 Retreat to safety

 Or move forward with uncertainty

When I came home from my walk, there was a magazine in my mailbox – the cover story read “IBM Renegades Where Are They Now?” That was the confirmation I needed. I took the leap. That moment changed everything.

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