Manifest Your Destiny, Maintain Your Integrity

When my self-confidence drain-circling picked up speed about 18 months ago, I did what any out-of-their-mind miserable employee does: I quit my job. In the worst-ever-in-my-lifetime job market. I had zero prospects, but I was desperate. I gave them a lame excuse about wanting to switch careers - which at the time seemed to be my only option.

In true Cari Funk fashion, I picked up running as a way to fill in any perceived hole in my life. I know that running is an innate blessing someone in my heritage bestowed upon me. It's also my comfort zone, my security blanket. So for the better part of 2011 I trained for, and finished, a full marathon. I could have set a loftier goal than "just finishing" but that would be missing the point. What I ended up with was a really cool glow in the dark medal and some much needed perspective. And the confidence started to return slowly, ever so slowly.

I still believe in the company even though I left of my own volition; I still have times when my fierce loyalty to them shocks me. I still care about how they're doing. After the break-up, the owner and I have remained friends. Regardless of the reasons I left, I still want the company to succeed. Leaving a job is never easy, but still caring about the people you leave behind makes doing the right thing the only option.

So when he came to me later to talk about a different-but-related job offer, I was truly scared and reluctant. Could I do it? Did I have the skills, the knowledge, the desire?? Eventually all those questions were directly answered (in the affirmative) mostly by him. But that last one - the desire bit - was tough. He couldn't answer that for me. And after working though some time-consuming apprehension, the two of us got to working in a rhythm that has produced spectacular results.

I think, had I not created my own dark, stumbling path of self-discovery I would be in a very different place today. Instead I'm the proud owner of a mildly successful consulting business called 3 Dog Data.

 My main client - wouldn't you know - is my former employer. I also consider him in the categories of "mentor", "adviser" and most importantly "friend".