When I quit my well-paid corporate job nearly 9 years ago, a lot of people called me brave.

(Except my parents. They thought I was being a bit silly)

In reality, I didn’t feel brave at all. I was quietly panicking on the inside.

I didn’t have a steady stream of paying clients or a formal business plan. Although that doesn’t mean it was an impulsive decision – I’d been thinking about resigning for around 12 months.

During that time, alongside completing my coaching qualification, I worked on my vision. I got clear on the kind of coach I wanted to be, who I wanted to help, and the problems I actually wanted to solve.

But it wasn’t just about big ideas and vision boards. I did some practical things too. I saved up some money and explored freelance options in my old career so I knew I could support myself while I built up my client base.

For me, leaving my job wasn’t about feeling super confident and brave. I just felt so clear on what I ultimately wanted to do, I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t give it a try.

Quitting a job shouldn’t be rushed. It’s a big decision, and not the right one for everyone. It deserves time and planning, rather than an impulsive resignation after a bad day.

I shared more of my thoughts on this with The i Paper recently, which looks at what we often get wrong about quitting and how to do it better.

If you’re looking for more support with your career, you can find out more about how I work with people here.