Adieu To Oracle
After almost a year working at Oracle I finally gave up cubicle land to focus on my own company. My business partner, Janet, and I have been burning the midnight oil in preparation for this moment. The long evenings and Saturday hours seem to have been a worthy sacrifice.
In my parting thoughts I must admit I have mixed emotions about my departure. Oracle, or more accurately the 8th floor in Salt Lake City, is an amazing company. The people I worked with really made my experience quite enjoyable. Doing what I did for the last year did get quite tedious. When you work with fun people it’s still tedious, but at least it is bearable.
My last day at the office I packed up a year of my life into a small cardboard box, and then my supervisor/friend, Darren, walked me to the door and wished me luck. I walked down the hall to the elevators for the final time wondering if I was the craziest man alive to give up such a great job and career.
Today marks the two week anniversary since I’ve left Oracle. I no longer wonder about my craziness. I’ve concluded that you have to be a bit insane to be an entrepreneur. It’s this insanity that pushes you to walk away from the norm and go create the unknown.
Yes, there are unsure days ahead of me, but I am now anxious and excited to begin a new day. In the short time that I’ve been doing my own dream a lot of things have come together for me—both in my personal and professional life.
I once read a quote by Seth Godin that stated, “How dare you waste your life in exchange for a paycheck!” I’ve come to better appreciate this quote. However, I personally feel that the quote should state, “How dare you not prepare your life in order to give up the paycheck!”
I could not have done my own company a year ago. If I had not worked the days for Oracle and the nights for myself I would have failed miserably. Oracle gave me a way to to realize my dreams and for that I’m deeply appreciative.
For those of you who prepare to make a similar jump, I encourage you to realize that your day job has a purpose. Sometimes people, wanting to leave as soon as possible, leave too early. Prepare yourself and then make the leap of faith, believe me, the patience will payout in the end. ~Paul W.
“We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers. They see things in the soft haze of a spring day or in the red fire of a long winter’s evening. Some of us let these great dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nurse them through bad days till they bring them to the sunshine and light which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true.” -Woodrow T. Wilson
I sometimes think about making the leap but have not yet done so. Thanks for the inspiring story.
LewisC
It is an inspiring story. I work every day to be able to make the leap but havent even gotten close yet, hopefully I’ll get there soon.
Lewis & Kevin- Thanks for your comments and best of luck with your dreams. ~Paul W.
YOU WILL NEVER FIND A WIFE NOW!
I need to learn to grow my business through blogs. Thanks Blogger!
I can only imagine that this comment comes from one of my many friends who have lost hope in my ability to get married without a nice corporate job. Oh well, I still have faith that there is a woman out there that can fall madly in love with an entrepreneur. ~Paul W.