My Career, My Way

"You blew a good opportunity here," she said to me with unconcealed anger.  "You didn't know how good you had it and now you want to leave?"

"Yes," I replied.  I was firm in my resolve that this temporary position was just that...temporary.  It was time for me to move on.  My agency had relayed the news to her.  She was bubbling over with hot apathy towards me.  "It doesn't seem to be a good fit for me," I said calmly, trying to keep the bridge aloft.

"I gave you every chance to excel here.  I know there isn't much to do right now but if you had just stuck it out for a few more months it would've gotten better."

She doesn't understand the value of time, I thought.  Each day I sat at a desk and allowed my brain to turn to mush was a day that I was not excelling in the world.  I did not have months to squander.

"There's no health insurance, no benefits," I reasoned with her. 

"I told you from the beginning that's how this company operates! Seventy percent of the people here are employeed on a contract basis. I worked at this company for three years before they hired me as an employee.  Look at Stacey," she continued.  "She's been here for four years with no health insurance and she's  single mother!"

"I'm not Stacey," I replied.  "This is a Fortune 500 company and it's using people's talents without rewarding them adequately.  I won't settle for that."

"I can't believe you would do this to me.  I wanted things to be different with you!"

And then I realized that her reaction to my abandonment of the position was not about me.  It was about her.  She had hired four different employees in the past twelve months.  Her reputation in the company was marred.  No one could work for her.  Her cold demeanor, curt remarks, constant aloofness, confrontational attitude and intimidating managerial style had resulted in several employees before me bolting from the job. 

"You have made a big mistake," she looked me squarely in the eyes.  "You will learn how good you had it here and you'll regret leaving."

I was too stunned to respond to her bold assertion.  I left that firm for a better position that challenged my intellect and gave me the benefits I rightfully deserved.  But I did not gloat that my life was better and that she was wrong.  Instead, I worked harder to move from that place to the next. 

My level of success in life is determined by myself and not those around me.  And even if I do take a misstep in life, at least I can say I did it my way.