Written by Victoria May, Empowerment Coach for Women
Victoria May is a certified Rapid Transformational Therapist®, Empowerment Coach, and Energy Worker dedicated to helping women awaken to their true essence and create heart-centred lives filled with freedom, fulfillment, and purpose.
Dreaming of leaving the 9-to-5 grind for a soul-led life of purpose and meaning? It’s as rewarding as it is challenging, full of breakthroughs, breakdowns, and lessons you never saw coming. In this article, I’m sharing the 12 things I wish I’d known before taking the leap, so you can navigate the messiness of this journey with a little more ease and a lot more courage.
Leaving corporate life might sound like the ultimate dream: waking up without an alarm, doing work that feels meaningful, and finding purpose and fulfillment in your career. But here’s the truth, it’s not all freedom and flow. Pursuing a soul-led path is messy, raw, and, at times, downright painful.
When I made the leap, I thought I was ready. I wasn’t, though I’d argue you can never fully be prepared. The first few years threw everything at me, rejection, fear, uncertainty, and so much inner work I thought I might drown. But here’s the thing: on the other side of all that chaos lies immense gain, more than I could have ever imagined.
As The Shawshank Redemption aptly puts it: “Andy crawled to freedom through five hundred yards of poop-smelling foulness I can’t even imagine, or maybe I just don’t want to. Five hundred yards... and came out clean on the other side.”
Thankfully, there’s no poop involved here. And this isn’t about scaring you off. It’s about sharing the lessons from leaving corporate life so you can embrace your soul-led journey with more clarity and courage. Because while the road is challenging, it’s also the most fulfilling path you’ll ever walk.
Ready to escape the grind? Here are 12 things I wish I’d known
1. Be prepared for uncertainty
A soul-led path thrives on trust, not rigid plans. It’s about surrendering to the unknown and following your inner compass to navigate uncertainty with faith in your vision.
I tried to bring my corporate-style planning into this new chapter, mapping every detail. Spoiler: it didn’t work. A soul-led life asks you to trust your intuition and take one step at a time. Over time, you’ll realize that clarity comes from the journey itself, not from knowing all the answers in advance.
2. Not everyone will support you
Sharing your dream of leaving corporate life might not get the reaction you expect. Some people will cheer you on, while others might quietly criticize or question your choices.
It stings when the people closest to you don’t get it. Some will project their fears onto you; others might quietly envy your courage. Here’s the thing: their opinions don’t define your path. Stay grounded in your vision and keep following your inner compass, even when the support isn’t there.
3. Be humble and don’t be naïve
I’ll admit it, I thought the universe would roll out the red carpet for me just because I was following my purpose. I was ready for instant success, shiny results, and maybe even a parade. Spoiler: that’s not how this works.
Building a soul-led career takes time, and the lessons come first, like patience, resilience, and eating a slice of humble pie. You’re not going to hit big wins overnight, and that’s okay. You wouldn’t expect to walk into a company as a junior and achieve the success of the CEO; the same applies here. Trust your inner compass to guide you through the slow growth, and stay focused on the bigger picture.
4. Not everyone offering help will be helpful
When you step into a soul-led path, you’ll encounter countless offers to “help” you succeed, courses, coaches, strategies. I fell for a few myself, ignoring my gut because I thought someone else had the answers I didn’t.
The truth? There are many different ways to get to the same destination, but not all of them will suit you. Following your inner compass means trusting yourself. If something feels off, it probably is. Only say yes to people and opportunities that align with your direction. If it’s not a F**k yes, then it’s a no!
5. You are the foundation, fix it first
A soul-led career starts from within. If your beliefs about yourself are shaky, everything you build will be, too.
I learned this the hard way after a failed launch sent me spiraling into self-doubt. It turns out, it wasn’t the launch that failed, it was my belief system. Until I worked on my inner foundation, nothing else moved forward. Your inner compass can’t guide you if it’s muffled by fear and self-doubt, so prioritize your inner work, it is everything.
6. If it starts feeling like corporate, pause
There was a moment when my soul-led career felt just as draining as my old 9-to-5 job. I thought I’d made a mistake, but the problem wasn’t the work, it was how I was working.
Old habits like hustling, forcing, and overworking can creep back in, even when you’re building a soul-led career. If this happens, pause, reflect, and realign with your inner compass. A soul-led path isn’t meant to feel like a grind; it’s meant to feel aligned.
7. If you’re pushing too hard, stop
If every step feels like pushing a boulder uphill, take it as a sign that something’s off. Soul-led paths thrive on flow, not force.
But don’t confuse flow with ease. It’s about momentum, taking aligned steps that open doors, even when they challenge you. Challenges will show up, but they won’t feel like constant resistance. Forcing things will only drain your energy, throw your inner compass off balance, and get you nowhere.
8. Sh*t takes time, find a way to pay the bills
I thought my passion and purpose would pay the bills a lot quicker. Spoiler: they didn’t.
Here’s a practical tip: keep a side hustle or part-time job while you’re transitioning and building your soul-led career. Financial stability gives you the space to focus on your work without the constant stress of wondering how to pay the bills. I have never experienced stress more overwhelming than having no money, I don’t recommend it.
9. You’ll want to quit, don’t
There were days when I wanted to throw in the towel and run back to corporate. Rejection, self-doubt, and fear hit me like a tidal wave.
When this happens (and it will), take a step back. Recenter yourself and reconnect with your inner compass. When things get hard, our ego has a tendency to poison us against our own dreams. Don’t let it. Instead, ask yourself if the desire to quit is coming from fear or genuine misalignment. If it’s fear, keep going.
10. Inaction can be just as productive as action
Corporate life teaches us that doing equals progress, but this is a lie. Just think about company meetings and how unproductive most of them are to understand this.
If your actions are unaligned, you’re wasting time and taking yourself off course. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is nothing. Step back, follow your inner compass, and wait for clarity.
11. Trust your inner compass, it’s never wrong
You don’t need to know everything about entrepreneurship or career transitions. Yes, you will need to learn things, but what you mostly need is to trust yourself.
A soul-led path is about listening to your intuition and building your path in a way that feels right for you, pulling in resources that support this. Your inner compass is your most powerful guide, trust it.
12. Don’t go it alone, find your tribe
This journey can feel lonely if you try to do it solo. After a big flop, I nearly gave up entirely. What saved me was finding a group of like-minded people who understood what I was building.
Your tribe will remind you of your vision when you lose sight of it. Their support will help you keep moving forward and stay true to your inner compass, no matter how tough things get.
The power of a soul-led path
Leaving corporate life to pursue a soul-led path is messy, challenging, and full of unexpected lessons. But on the other side of the struggle lies a life that feels deeply fulfilling and aligned.
I’ve walked this path, stumbled more times than I can count, and emerged much stronger for it. The challenges continue, but the days when I would even consider turning back are long gone. That’s because I’ve embraced the lessons I’ve shared and grown through them, lessons I know will appear for you, too, as you embark on your own journey.
Guiding women to redefine success
Now, I guide other women to lead their own unique journeys, follow their internal compass, and redefine success on their terms. These are women at a crossroads, questioning whether the success they’ve built truly aligns with their deepest desires. They refuse to settle for “normal.” They crave more: more freedom, joy, adventure, and meaning.
Through intuitive insight, transformational inner work, and grounded strategies, I help these women dissolve limitations, break free from life's constraints, and align inner fulfillment with outer success.
If you’re ready to take the leap, schedule your free strategy session to see if we’re a match.
Read more from Victoria May
Victoria May, Empowerment Coach for Women
Victoria is a certified Rapid Transformational Therapist®, Empowerment Coach, and Energy Worker who helps women reconnect with their true essence and create heart-centred lives of freedom, fulfillment, and purpose. After leaving a successful but unfulfilling corporate career, Victoria embarked on a journey of personal and spiritual discovery. She now uses her expertise and own experience to support women in overcoming burnout, self-doubt, and societal pressures so they can create a life they love. Through her unique approach, Victoria empowers her clients to fully embrace their true selves and live heart-centred lives.
