Finding Your ‘Why’ During the Great Resignation

The upheaval brought about by the pandemic has forced many of us to reevaluate what’s essential. Data shows that record numbers of people around the globe are voluntarily quitting their jobs to focus on new opportunities that better align with their values and goals.

I am one of those people.

For me, the Great Resignation has been an opportunity to step back and rethink the personal objectives in my life. I realized there was a lot of work that didn’t stop or slow down, but I didn’t feel challenged intellectually. On top of that, I was only getting insight into the complexities of a single industry.

Now, as Director, Employer Brand & Culture at Blu Ivy, I have an insight into many global industries and a pulse on the latest market trends. I’m also building on a full methodology around how to enhance and deliver incredible, tangible, enjoyable experiences and actions that are helping organizations. It’s exciting to see how top Fortune 500 organizations take the time to bring their employer brand to life.

With this career pivot, I’m spending so much time with clients, and that is helping in my personal life to meet incredible people constantly who have different challenges, needs, desires, ways of working, philosophies, and methods. I think it is very important to have this desire to not just perform as an employee but also to see personal value in the work that you do.

Tapping into your purpose

Any dream can only flourish if you allow yourself to take a risk. What I’ve discovered for myself by shifting roles is that I’m now surrounded by people who have so much knowledge outside my own space, and I’m learning more than I ever could have in my previous job.

So, if you think this might be the time to make a change, these are my key pieces of advice:

1. Have self-awareness of your dream. Allow yourself to listen to that inner dream and let it be your guiding light as you think through career possibilities. In my case, I did not look for a job, but the job opened up to me when I was the least challenged in my existence.
   
2. Determine which communities and organizations can fulfill that dream. There were a lot of different organizations that I talked to because I was very curious. I joined different communities like Employer Brandwagon to talk to other people about their roles. I asked, “What do you do every single day? What are your challenges?” The key word here is ‘curiosity’ about what’s out there and really looking beyond the salary and thinking about how a role aligns with your goals.
   
3. Follow your passion. What matters is the passion that is driving us because that will always come back in the positive. Be honest and humble in your journey and consider the purpose of work in your life.
   
4. Trust your instincts. For me, moving from a traditional, process-heavy corporate world to a world of design thinkers and creatives is incredibly inspiring. The decision wasn’t motivated by money but by what my instincts tell me I need in my life to be happy. That’s how I try to live.

Be courageous

The anxiety of always trying to make the right decision is human. If you change careers, you naturally must think very deeply about making the correct choice, not just for yourself but for your family.

The Great Resignation can be an opportunity to find that resonance we’re all searching for – something that inspires us and makes us better people. If you want to unleash your creativity and find who you are, it means more work, but when it’s the right work, it motivates you. You’ll constantly be inspired.

When I was three years old, I had surgery; I clearly remember that moment and thought “If you have a chance to survive, then you must embrace it.” Now I’m 40, I have the same mindset. If my life had to end today, I can say I followed my intuition, and in the words of Winston Churchill “to each, there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour.”

For me, this isn’t about ticking off a checklist. It’s about embracing the ambiguity of life with other people and finding your ‘why.’ So don’t be afraid to take a risk; trust your instincts and listen to that inner voice. Let’s be courageous and triumph over fear as Ryan Holiday wrote: “shake the impossible odds.” Puncturing our little bubbles will help us find and seize the opportunities in front of us.

Thomas Reneau

Thomas is passionate about applying design thinking in Employer Branding and also in life. He has cultivated a large cultural background from living and working in Europe, Asia and North America. He loves stretching his mind around employer branding, designing experiences and thinking playfully.