Get Career Fit, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 9 Launch

How will you transition and land?

‘The art of knowing is knowing what to ignore.’

Rumi

There’s no denying that Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin, launches big, proud and loud. When he enters a new industry or promotes a new product, it’s not done under the radar. It’s a carousel of flashing lights and fanfare. He has driven a tank down Fifth Avenue in New York, shaved his beard and donned a bridal gown, and posed in a space suit, as Elvis and as a Zulu warrior. When he jumped off the roof of a Las Vegas casino hotel to promote Virgin America, he crashed into the side of the building twice, ripping his pants. Later he laughed it off, saying, ‘I never thought I would take the saying “flying by the seat of my pants” quite so literally.’⁴³

While your launch, your leap, shouldn’t require a jump harness, a stunt double or even new pants, it does require guts, determination and confidence.

You are now committing to turning your back on your old role or career, and leaping into the wind, so to speak. What this looks like in practice will vary according to each individual’s unique experience. Your take-off and someone else’s will be slightly different, as will every leap you make in future.

You may have a new role lined up, but you haven’t yet started. Or there may be a number of roles actively in play, none of which you have yet landed. Or you may have a business idea in development that isn’t yet in the market. Perhaps you have reached the point where you ...