Calculated Risks: One Year Later

• By Jimmy Hoffman
• 18 May, 2014
• 1 Comment

May 18, 2014 – Day 366 – 1 Year Later

Before we get to today, lets take a look back to May 7th, 2013…

May 7, 2013 – Day -11

Should I, or should I not. That was the first thing that went through my mind when I woke up. Should I hand in my resignation letter to my job that I worked at for three years and seven months?  Was I ready to take this calculated risk and move across the world? Although I had a plan, I didn’t have enough money saved up, I had no security in Singapore where I was going to move, I didn’t even have a visa. I was suppose to hand in my resignation letter the day before, but my manager left the office early and I waited to the last minute, not sure if I was ready. Would this day be a better day?

I really enjoyed my last job in the US. It gave me experience in Customer Service, Logistics, Quality Assurance and even a bit of Sales. I was progressively given new tasks and challenges. The management believed in me. My manager and a couple of other colleagues in management roles new I was the type of person who needed to be given new objectives to keep me motivated. And they did whatever they could to provide me with these opportunities. At one point though, after over three and a half years of working there, the next day of work just became ‘another day’. The time came that I needed to give myself an opportunity. A jump is exactly what I needed. Moving to Singapore would do that.

As soon as my manager walked into her office I proceeded in and shut the door. I then told her I would be handing in my formal resignation letter because I wanted to pursue a lifetime goal to live and work abroad. I think she may have thought I was crazy, but she proceeded to wish me the best of luck and provide me with some motivational words. She always did believe in me, and whether she thought I was crazy or not, she continued to believe in me.

Oh Sh**!

I actually did it! I pushed myself to the edge forcing myself to take the jump to pursue a lifetime goal! Fingers crossed! Toes crossed! I hope this works!!!

April 30, 2014 – Day 348

I’m doing it again. That was the first thing that went through my mind when I woke up. Almost one year after handing in my resignation letter I would again hand in my resignation letter to my current job in Singapore. And a few hours later that’s exactly what I did! What now!?!?

May 18, 2014 – Day 366 – 1 Year Later

Here I am, one year after landing in Singapore to live here. My first goal here was to make it past my 90 day tourist pass. It wasn’t easy and it even required me to leave the country and re-enter to get my pass extended on another 90 day tourist pass. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. After four months of searching, I finally secured a new job. A job that provided me with an opportunity to work abroad and grow my knowledge in Sales. A job that I will leave after making new best friends from all over the world.

When I first moved here almost everyone I knew from home thought I was crazy. Whether they told me or not, I knew most of them thought it. And honestly I can’t blame them. To quit a good job in the US and move to the other side of the world for a dream is crazy.

Or is it?

A dream. The only thing I had when I landed here. A dream to live abroad. What most people don’t know is that it was more then just a dream. It was also a calculated risk to advance my career. It was time for me to take a jump and provide the opportunity to advance myself.

Was I crazy?

Worse case scenario when I moved to Singapore was that I end up back in the US sooner then I had hoped. How bad could that be? I could always go back to school and finish my Bachelors Degree, return to the job I was working at, or pursue a new job. Those were the worst case scenarios. They didn’t seem so bad to me.

If things worked out I would find a job in Singapore and continue my career here. I would gain valuable experience working abroad. At that point the possibilities could be endless!

Today, I look forward to two weeks from now when I will start my new job. I will be a Business Development Manager, in charge of Sales, Marketing, and Customer Service. A great opportunity!

The calculated risk paid off. It worked out! It wasn’t easy getting here, but now I can finally say that the decision to move to Singapore was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

My favorite quote is:

“If no one is laughing at your dreams you’re not dreaming big enough” – Unknown

People laughed at me when I told them I was moving to Singapore. They thought I was joking when I told them.

It is no joke now!

I did it!

Day 1: My New Apartment Complex

Day 2

Day 2

Day 2: Chicken Rice

Day 8

Day 9

Day 11

Day 16

Day 23: Pulau Ubin

Day 29

Day 51

Day 53

Day 56: Singapore Observatory

Day 84: NDP 2013

Day 93: My First 5K

Day 114

Day 117: My New Colleagues!

Day 127: F1

Day 148: Universal Studios Singapore Halloween Horror Nights

Day 204: My First Visitor

Day 245: Thaipusam

Day 303: St. Patty’s Day Singapore

Day 330: They have beer pong in Singapore!?

Day 332: My First Live MLB Game – Yankees vs Redsox!!!!

Day 366