Ready to risk it all and take the jump?

Have you ever considered that you might be in the wrong career and that now is the time to do something about it? Weighing up your options and then deciding to make the switch can be understandably nerve-racking. In my case however, taking this risk to pursue something I was passionate about was the best decision I ever made.

I had a pleasant job in the life sciences sector, whilst earning good money and having the satisfaction of knowing that what I did made a difference. I was successful, had attained a level of expertise, and I had a safe job – what more could I want?

Despite everything I liked about my job, however, I’d started to feel curious about what else I might be good at. After speaking to a client one day, I realized how comfortable I’d become with my life, and how this was actually stifling my potential to grow. My daily schedule was pretty routine, whereas my client – who worked in sales – faced new challenges all the time. She seemed so energized, self-confident, and motivated.

That was when she told me about a similar job to hers that she knew of, and said she could recommend me for the role – if I was up for the challenge!

It’s okay to be apprehensive

The thought of switching careers can be exciting, but actually doing it – taking the jump – is on another level, and can be terrifying.  It was tempting to stay in my comfort zone, but in my heart I knew I wanted more than that; I wanted to challenge myself.

Despite my own self-doubt, as well as the fears voiced by one or two colleagues, I decided to accept the job offer. As someone once said, “Sometimes you just have to take the leap and build your wings on the way down.” In other words, you can’t always know what the outcome is going to be; sometimes you just have to risk it.

No experience like experience itself

Expect to make plenty of mistakes in the first few weeks of your new career. I made my share, but from the outset I decided I was going to embrace the challenge, and this helped me to learn quickly. I found the new experience daunting at times, but also exhilarating and rewarding – and not just in terms of the money I earned.

I surprised myself by how much I was inspired and motivated by the targets I was being set, and the sense of accomplishment I had when I hit them. I found I was tapping into resources I had only sensed I possessed, but never fully explored before now, and it felt great. Pushing yourself and exploring your full capabilities can have this affect. Have you ever had the feeling that you might be an expert at something that you’ve never tried before? Go and find out.

There is rarely ever a ‘perfect time’

One thing I learned was that if you keep telling yourself to wait until the time is ‘perfect’ before you make a move then you may be waiting a while. Things are rarely perfect. Some sectors will always be struggling while others are booming; the economy is rarely on an even keel for long, and that promotion you were waiting for may not come along after all. Stuff happens. I learned to take matters into my own hands and just go for it.

Something else I learned was that no matter what happens in the future, I won’t be left with feelings of “what if”; wondering what might have happened if only I’d taken the jump. The point is I took the jump and things worked out well, but even If I hadn’t been successful, I wouldn’t regret not having tried in the first place.

Author

Rosemary Cunningham-Thomas

CEO, Episurf Medical AB

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Rosemary Cunningham-Thomas, Chief Executive Officer at Episurf Medical AB

Rosemary is a board level CEO with substantial med-tech experience and a demonstrable track record of consistent financial performance, strategic growth & technology innovation across NYSE, FTSE 100 and early stage, high growth healthcare VC investments.

Rosemary has held positions of increasing responsibility with each successive appointment including six statutory directorships at board level. She has worked across complex global matrix structures where her ability to influence and collaborate with R&D, QA, and manufacturing ensured game changing product launches. She has represented the UK Urology industry on the Part IX Drug Tariff Committee and has worked with NICE, Public Health England, Diabetes UK, NHS Purchasing Authority, UK Competition Commission, ABHI and many of the Royal and European Medical Colleges and professional associations on a multitude of clinical and policy issues.