Breaking up with your Mentor

A very dear friend announced her resignation today. After over ten years of dedication, sleepless nights and tears, she finally pulled the plug. Her career brought her tremendous highs and lows. Whenever she was feeling discouraged, she'd still manage to find the slightest silver lining that would convince her to stay. There's a fine line between loyalty and dedication. Her loyalty to the CEO (her mentor) was so strong that I believe she'd even take a bullet for him. When someone gives us our big break, how long are we indebted for? Yes, thanks to him, she was given a chance. But let's not be in denial here. She was given a chance because she had all the essential qualities: intelligence, dedication, passion, perseverance and tough skin (vital quality for surviving the fashion industry). Who wouldn't give someone that whole a chance? But when sales weren't stellar anymore, she also became the department punching bag. Her strong ties to her mentor kept her there longer than she deserved to be. Then there's the Ego that pops in saying you shouldn't leave a job when the company isn't thriving. So that guilt kept her there longer. I'm writing about her today because there are many people like her out there. We connect with our leaders on such a profound level that when better opportunities surface, we pass them up. Why do we give them so much power? They gave us our big break, but we also performed. We missed important family holidays for work. I even missed my close friend's wedding to attend a meeting in Europe. We're the rare employees that keep on giving. Today, my friend chose to honor her Self by listening to her heart. She'll forever be grateful for the experience, but no longer indebted. When we feel this sense of obligation to someone, we often give much more than we were given. Appreciation is important, however preserving your integrity is fundamental. There may never be a good time to leave a job, but there is a right time. When you can tell yourself that you'll eventually be forgotten, and accept that fact, then you're ready to begin a new chapter. I'm proud of my friend for honoring her truer Self. We're all on our path to greatness, at our own pace. While some prefer taking the highway, others may choose to take the small roads. Respect the journey for there's a right time for all of us to find our truth.