Ep. 110: Everyone Told Me Not To Quit Without A Plan. I Did It Anyway.

<p>It's eight years to the month, almost to the day, since I put in my notice and left corporate for good. It’s not a sexy story, which is exactly why I wanted to talk about it.</p><p>I first share the story about how I never wanted to be an entrepreneur, nor was that encouraged. I was encouraged to go get an education and get a J-O-B in an office, versus the very labor-intensive path that my father took.</p><p>So you can imagine why entrepreneurship was never a dream of mine. On top of this, I watched my parents struggle financially, and at 22 I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, which only solidified my belief that I needed somebody else to write my paycheck so that I could afford healthcare.</p><p>So how the heck did I end up running my own business?</p><p>In 2018, there was a large possibility that my husband’s career would take us to a different state, and for the first time in my entire linear career I stopped to ask myself: <strong>What else is possible?</strong></p><p>We never moved, but my inquiry continued.</p><p>My heart knew it was time to go, but my mind gave me every possible reason to stay, especially without knowing what was next. I eventually realized those inner critic voices were fear-based and scarcity-based, and they were not my true beliefs.</p><p>That was the unlock that led me to quit without a plan.</p><p>And I mean I had <strong>no idea</strong>. No plan to launch a business and certainly no side hustle waiting in the wings. My one plan was to earn a coaching certification because I thought it would anchor me.</p><p>So again, I'm sharing this because it is not a sexy story.</p><p>There’s a version of the entrepreneurship story where someone builds it on the side and grows it until it replaces their income. While that’s true for some, I think everyone’s story is completely unique.</p><p>I think most big transitions involve a lot more fumbling through immediate next steps than a 12-point plan at the start.</p><h3>Episode Highlights</h3><ul> <li>Why entrepreneurship was never the plan, and how a type 1 diabetes diagnosis at 22 reinforced the need for a steady paycheck.</li> <li>The question that started everything: <strong>What else is possible?</strong></li> <li>How inner critic work revealed that the voices telling me to stay were fear-based, not true.</li> <li>Why setting an arbitrary quit date with two friends created the accountability that made my choice real.</li> <li>Why the energy behind <strong>running away from something</strong> versus <strong>going toward something</strong> is completely different.</li> <li>What eight years of entrepreneurship taught me about redefining success.</li></ul><h3>Quotables</h3><blockquote> <p>“All those inner critic thoughts were not mine. They were fear-based and scarcity-based, but it wasn't what I truly believed.”</p></blockquote><blockquote> <p>“Sometimes we know a lot less than we wish we knew when we're making a big change.”</p></blockquote><blockquote> <p>“It's called a leap of faith because you don't have all the information and you don't have the 12-step plan.”</p></blockquote><blockquote> <p>“I told myself for years that I really valued a consistent paycheck. I've come to learn that's actually really at the bottom of the list.”</p></blockquote><blockquote> <p>“You don't need a perfect roadmap and you don't need all the answers. You just need to listen to yourself in a way that maybe you never have.”</p></blockquote><h3>Tosca's Links &amp; Resources</h3><ul> <li><a href="http://toscadimatteo.com/newsletter">Sign up for Tosca's Newsletter</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.toscadimatteo.com">Tosca's Website</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.toscadimatteo.com/contact">Get in Touch with Tosca</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/toscadimatteo/">LinkedIn</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/toscadimatteo/">Instagram</a></li></ul><h3>Production</h3><p>Audio theme music by Adrian DiMatteo<br><a href="https://adriandimatteo.com">adriandi