When you are having a “baby”
As a driven, visionary professional busy building a career path to greatness, encountering major life events can feel like life is throwing a wrench in your plans, making it seem impossible to take on new challenges—even when they could be great blessings. I faced significant struggles when I found out I was pregnant during my last year of graduate school. I was in the early stages of both my marriage and my career, and I felt inexperienced in life. The thought of adding the challenges of motherhood and parenthood to everything else was extremely intimidating. My own mother’s example set what felt like an impossible standard for me to meet as a mother myself. It was all in my head.
Fortunately, with the right guidance and support from key people in my life, I was blessed to experience the journey of motherhood in all its wonder. I took a leap of faith and chose to trust the sensible advice I received: regardless of how I felt at that critical moment, if I could be less stubborn and more courageous, a whole new world of wonders would open up before me. That’s exactly what happened—life presented me with a choice to grow beyond my current self, and it was up to me to transform perceived challenges into opportunities for a richer life.
There’s never a perfect time to have a “baby,” especially when you’re fully immersed in building something you’re passionate about. However, if your inner wisdom senses that this unplanned event could help you become a bigger, better, and wiser person, then say yes.
When you have lost your rock
In my pursuit of becoming a business founder and entrepreneur, I found myself distanced from my family, my marriage, and my home base—representing everything that felt like “home” to me. It took over a decade to build this foundation from scratch after arriving in America, and it meant the world to me. However, after four years of disruptive international commutes and chaotic schedules, I lost the trust of my life partner and, most painfully, my young child.
While I gained valuable experiences during those years, I lost a critical asset: my rock. Without that foundation, I lost my North Star, the guiding light for my purpose. As a result, career milestones and successes felt hollow, devoid of real meaning. I lost my appetite for growth, prompting me to make significant career adjustments. The rest is the history you know.
In my time, I have witnessed countless others whose ambition drives them to prioritize career over family and life. They struggle with long commutes, and their relationships suffer due to their physical, mental, and emotional absence. Some marriages are merely “held together” by financial necessities, the sake of the children, or cultural obligations, while others fall apart completely. Life can be complicated, and making the right choices can be incredibly challenging.
What I want to share is that you can learn from my mistakes. By recognizing these pitfalls as you develop your dreams in both life and work, I hope you can make wiser choices than I did. If you’ve experienced downfalls from a similar situation, know that I, and many others, have been there too. It is possible to rediscover your compass in life. While it may take time and effort, when you find your “rock” again, I can guarantee you will be in a much better position to pursue your career and life goals.
When you want to quit your job for it
Entrepreneurs are many things, but quitters are not one of them. Yet, it’s not uncommon for someone to leave their current job to become an entrepreneur. In my case, I had to leave my dream job at a prestigious medical college to start a new business, altering the career path I had aspired to since childhood—one I had worked over a decade to achieve. Alongside the professional disruption, I also had to consider the financial implications of this change for myself and my family, a responsibility that weighed heavily on me when I made the decision to quit.
It was an incredibly challenging process to embark on a venture that few believed in except for me. But that belief is what ultimately matters. Because I had faith in my vision, the groundwork I had laid, and, more importantly, my own ability to bring it to fruition, I was able to make the tough choice to leave my job and dedicate myself fully to my startup.
I often ponder what makes entrepreneurship so appealing. Beneath the tangible rewards of creating wealth, building something valuable to solve real-world problems, and collaborating with bright and interesting people, I believe the most compelling draw for entrepreneurs is the control they gain over their destinies. When you run your own business, you truly have the power to shape your future, and you know just how capable you are.
So, my friend, the next time you find yourself tossing and turning at night, uncertain about when to quit your job to pursue your startup or passion, know that I was there too—for two long years. When I finally took that leap, I never looked back. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
