Sabbatical Diaries: The End is Just the Beginning

“Who resigns from Google?”

That’s the question I’ve heard most often this past year. It’s usually asked with a mix of curiosity and genuine disbelief. After years of navigating the high-stakes world of global R&D and leading complex engineering organizations as a Director, people couldn’t understand why I’d walk away from the “perfect” career path.

For a long time, I didn’t have a simple answer. I just knew that the standard path, the one where we’re always busy, always climbing, and always tied to a title, was no longer leading where I wanted to go.

The Weight of the Default Path

In the world of tech leadership, our identities are often color-coded into our calendars. We measure our worth by our impact, our scale, and our speed. When I first decided to take a sabbatical (see Why I Left My Director Role at Google: A Case for Intentional Career Breaks), I felt the heavy weight of expectations. There is a “default path” laid out for us, and stepping off it feels like jumping into the unknown without a map.

I was more than my job, but I hadn’t spent much time getting to know that person. The fear of “what comes next” was real, but I realized that if I didn’t create space, I would never find the answer.

Finding the Rhythm in New Zealand

A few weeks ago, I found myself sitting with my guitar in the middle of the stunning landscapes of New Zealand. In that moment of quiet, everything clicked.

By letting go of one big identity, I had made room for so much more. This year, I became a certified coach, wrote my first book, deepened my Buddhist studies, and became a true traveller. I discovered that my impact doesn’t come from my “utilization” rate, but from my alignment with what truly matters.

I looked at the life I had built over the last twelve months and realized I didn’t want to “return” to my old life. I wanted to keep building this one.

Redesigning Indefinitely

So, I’ve decided to continue this journey indefinitely.

This isn’t just about taking a break; it’s about a permanent shift in how I live and work. I am choosing to dare to be different. I’m moving away from the path everyone walks on to pave one that is uniquely mine.

I’m still working: coaching leaders, mentoring, and writing, but I’m doing it on my own terms, with the freedom to learn, explore the world and the guitar one destination and one chord at a time.

What Are You Designing?

We are often so afraid of what we’ll lose if we step off the track that we forget what we stand to gain. You don’t need a year-long sabbatical to start redesigning your life, but you do need to be brave enough to question the “default.”

If you weren’t afraid of what people would say, what is one expectation you would let go of today?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What does a “designed life” look like for you?

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P.S. If you are navigating your own transition or looking to lead with more intention, I’d love to help. I have a few open spots for executive coaching and mentoring—you can find more details or book a session here: morschlesinger.com/schedule