The Pivot

As I stare at a page filled with unedited words, I have the television on mute during a cutthroat argument brewing on Real Housewives of Atlanta. It’s a hilarious, yet detrimental distraction from the commitment I made to get the ball rolling on writing because so much has changed since the first draft. The twinkle in my eye and drive to open the travel agent portion of my business is completely gone. I stopped spending countless, late nights pushing toward completing my goal because I realized that I want my life to feel at ease.

I’ve always been passionate about travel. So, about two years ago I joined a host agency for travel agent training. What started out as passionately working toward my goals, quickly transformed into anxiety and a voice in my head that slowly got louder saying, “this isn’t for you.” Being immersed in all the components of being a travel agent, especially sales, slowly made me feel like I was relearning my entire profession combined with the four years I spent in college and a full-time job. I had come this far without any questioning of my path, so why now? I loved all the tedious, hours-long research and planning that went into being a travel agent. But, my love for research didn’t overshadow my growing dread. In the midst of following my intuition telling me that I had hit a brick wall, I took a break from travel agent training and focused on administrative tasks to keep pushing toward my goal. I was making strides. But, once I went back to training and moving toward a “soft launch” amidst a travel surge, ridiculous obstacles began to arise. I never thought that I would make it to the top of the mountain and begin full-time work. I was right.

The thoughts crossing my mind saying, “being a travel agent won’t last long” were rooted in a deep, intuitive place that was screaming for acknowledgement and acting as a catalyst for developing something larger in my business. Not self-doubt. A pivot was taking place. I was being challenged to tackle administrative tasks that I had been nervously avoiding with support from the accountability partners (mentors) within the host agency and to see that this was much more than selling travel. The courage to apply for my trademark, hire an attorney, get extremely organized, and open up business accounts didn’t come easy. But, I did it. Once I completed those tasks I got the internal green light to leave my host agency and explore my business as a lifestyle. While the host agency was a valuable asset in providing access to the travel industry and mentorship, it taught me that I was headed toward overlooking what my entire brand stands for by focusing heavily on selling to the customer. Perhaps, selling and operating in that capacity just isn’t for me. But, I am up for figuring out how to make everything work harmoniously in a way that is best suited for me. In the end, my short-lived journey working with a host agency is a testament that every opportunity can act as a teacher and that staying true to honoring the entire vision for my business is always necessary.

Ask Yourself:

When have you had to pivot?
What was the outcome?
What did you learn from having to pivot?

Drea'February 20, 2023