Today’s episode was recorded back in June right after school let out. Due to busy and conflicting schedules it took us until the fall to get our podcast live.
This episode is with Anne Meilke Conti. She is the wife of our youngest brother, Tom, and at the time of this interview had recently quit her job to spend more time with her family. Anne and Tom have three children. Anne has had a successful career for the past 20 years working for two healthcare information technology companies. We were excited to talk to Anne to learn more about her and this major change in her life. She had many words of wisdom and eye-opening perspectives for us. She is an admired business leader AND is an amazing mother who prioritizes her family and relationships.
There was so much good stuff that we almost made this interview into a two parter. After some debate, we decided to keep it as one longer episode.
Although Anne is on the younger end of “middlescence”, Anne’s courage in making such a significant job and life change will inspire anyone contemplating taking a leap that greatly alters your life.
In this episode we ask Anne:
- Why did she decide to leave her job?
- How long was she thinking about doing this?
- What does she like to do? (We think many of us can relate to her answer to this question)
- What were the obstacles she had to overcome to make this change happen?
- What does she want to do during this time when she is not working outside the home?
- You must listen to the end to hear her wise response to “How would she rate her happiness on a scale of 1-10?"
- What feels most scary to her right now?
- What is most important to her during this time of her life?
Highlights from “Taking the Leap” with Anne Conti
- The need for external deadlines to help motivate us to take action or make a decision.
- The common fear that if you quit your job, you will not be able to find something else and then be banished from the workforce forever or stuck in a worse job.
- It is not retirement but rather a pause or a sabbatical.
- It is much easier tomake hard decisions when you don't think of them as final.
- Anne felt pride and received positive feedback for stepping away and taking a career break. She hopes she is an example and role model, so that other people do it too. She wants those who take a break or consider leaving their job to believe and have faith that there's something better.
- Anne eloquently discusses both the opportunities and the issues co-vid caused in our workplaces and careers. There are lasting impacts of co-vid on our jobs and on each of us.
- Childcare. It is difficult and frustrating to hear firsthand the stress and problems childcare causes working mothers. How and why is this still such as issue for American working mothers?
- Anne worried about how quitting could possibly have negative ramifications for the company. This shows her thoughtfulness and concern for her previous employer and others.
- We loved how Anne described herself and Tom as “thoughtful spenders” rather than “good budgeters”. We suspect many people view themselves this way. Being a thoughtful spender and having a thorough knowledge of their financial situation helped Anne feel comfortable to take this “Big Leap.”.
- Anne’s concern about the changes or impact on her relationship now that she is not working and holding as high power a job as Tom. This is new and different and disrupting their old system.
- Anne admits that she may need to re-evaluate how she views success, accomplishment, and even herself without having a high-powered job.
- Her number one goal while she is not working is “just to move more in her daily life”. How simple is that! We think everyone can relate to this. We love how she intends to get steps in by “just living, doing and being present with her family."
