Friends, I have something to tell you. I have a goal, a dream — a big one. I’ve had it for several years now, and while I’ve shared it with a handful of people, I haven’t exactly been shouting it from the rooftops. But I’ve decided to put it out there for all the world to see, so that you can hold me accountable, perhaps provide a bit of encouragement, and follow me on this journey.

I’m going to be my own boss. I’m going to walk away from the perceived stability of a steady paycheck and fully rely on myself to create my own income. I’m going to launch a law practice in which I take the kinds of cases I want to take, for clients I like, on my own terms.

I’m so excited about this! And terrified. Mostly excited, but definitely also terrified. The good news is that I’ve been excited for several years now, which tells me that this really is what I want and need to do. I’ve never felt so energized by an idea for so long. It’s great to finally have this kind of clarity about what I want for my life and my career.

This isn’t going to happen tomorrow. It’s probably still many months away, in fact, but I do have a plan and a timeline. I need to save some more money in order to do it responsibly. I don’t want to take on debt to start my business, and I want to be sure I can provide for my family’s needs during the startup period until the money starts rolling in reliably. I’ve been saving pretty aggressively for this goal over the past couple years, and now I’m really tightening my belt and ramping up my saving. Getting out of debt made this dream feel possible. Now, I’m about halfway to where I need to be financially, which is to have at least a year of living and business expenses in the bank by launch time, plus an additional 3-month emergency fund.

I’ve been reading books, listening to podcasts, and attending continuing education courses. I’ve been tweaking my business plan and seeking out mentors. I recently met with a financial advisor to make sure I have my ducks in a row so I can make this happen on the timeline I’ve set for myself.

In the course of all this planning and preparing, I’ve often had to confront my inner critic and my deepest fears, and I’m sure that will continue. Am I a good enough lawyer to do this? Am I a good enough businesswoman? Will anyone hire me? What if I embarrass myself? What if I make a mistake that costs a client her case? And the most persistent one: What if I run out of money?

But I believe this is one of those situations where I have to feel the fear and do it anyway. Because you know what? Life is short. I don’t want to spend the rest of my working days in some job that’s just okay, unable to build the life and career I really want for myself, and wondering what I might have been able to accomplish if I had just gone for it. I have a vision, I have a plan, and I’m working on having faith in myself. Faith that I can do hard things. Faith that I can figure it out. And after ten years as a lawyer, I’ve come across a number of people less competent and hard-working than me who have built profitable law practices — if they can do it, surely I can too.

In future posts, I’ll tell you a little more about what I’ve done financially to stash away more than a year’s worth of living and business expenses. I’ll share the strategies that have helped to keep me moving forward, and I’ll update you on how things are going. I hope you’ll share your own goals and experiences with me, too, so that we can inspire each other.

Here’s to taking risks, being brave, and creating my best life!