Resigning because you want to do something completely different has a special affect on one’s line manager; it’s not necessarily something they are prepared for.  I was, dare I use the word, poached from my previous firm – it was a very appealing package – so the conversation with my then manager was easy; there was no way it would be matched, bye bye!  This time round my manager looked at me with shock and a bit of horror, because there’s no retort.  There’s no way he could suggest I keep my role and work at sea – as awesome and fantastic as that combination would be for me, the wifi capacities of a Bavaria 6NM from the coast are limited.  Strategically, if I buy my own yacht, I’m sure this problem could be surmounted – geeky friends, you know who you are!

So, would I stay?  What could they have offered me?

I am sad that after ten years in the City I’m leaving without my D.  But hey ho, it’s probably in a very similar bracket to school grades and degree level – the only people who ever ask are people still going through it, once you’re out in the real world it’s all about experience and knowledge, the people who contact me to ask about CDS really couldn’t give two hoots that I got a B in GCSE History.

There were, during the “options” phase, conversations about whether I could do my job plus something else.  Keep the love and find a new challenge, but it’s hard to break the norm.  There’s a large amount of weight given to consistency and meeting expectations.  I know I could do my job (old job!) from a remote location, in this day and age one can video conference in from anywhere provided you have internet, a pc and a white wall if you want to pretend you’re in a box in the City….

As an aside, one of my favourite City memories is from 2010/2011, we had weekly calls with external counsel at 11am London time, and she was based in the US.  After about six weeks of calls it was suggested she dial in from home, but only – someone piped up – if she was wearing appropriately corporate pyjamas.  Well, the following week, corporate pyjamas.  And that’s what I love about our world; we know our product and we know we can talk the product accurately and be respected, even if dressed in button down, collared, pyjamas.

So, would I stay?  I feel really fortunate to have heard that I’ll be missed, and even from several aisles that there are opportunities available for me should I return.  And therefore that I can say no, right now, the right thing to do is to leave.  To give it a go.  And if I come back then that’s alright too, I don’t have too much pride to be able to say I made a mistake – I have certainly made mistakes before – but they shape us, teach us, help us become the people we are supposed to be at the end of the day.  I hope to have very few whatifs when it comes to the final accounting.  And in the meanwhile, if you have ever thought about leaving it all behind and starting anew, please continue to live vacariously through me!