My Career Shift from Coding to Coaching: A Quest for Joy and Purpose

How often does a dream come true?
For me, it happened when both my husband and I received job offers from Microsoft—the destination for tech professionals in the early 2000s. We were in our small apartment in Austin, Texas, when the calls came through. It felt surreal. For two immigrants in tech, this wasn’t just a job offer—it was validation, a sign that we belonged. On November 28, 2000, we moved to Seattle. I felt like I had finally boarded the right train—life on track, career on point.

But less than a decade later, everything shifted.
I made a career shift that would change my life.

Why I Left My Dream Job for a New Career Path

This week marks 16 years since I walked away from my role as a software engineering manager at Microsoft to pursue something completely different: coaching, connection, and people development.

That decision—my career shift—taught me more than any job title or promotion ever could. As I reflect on this milestone, I want to share the defining moments and lessons that led to the leap.

From Bangladesh to Microsoft: A Journey of Resilience

Coming to the U.S. alone as a graduate student from Bangladesh was the first leap. I was denied a visa twice. I was accused of cheating on my TOEFL score. “How did you get such a high score?” they asked, doubting me simply for being a single woman traveling abroad.

Even after a 24-hour journey, I was pulled aside and interrogated again at the Atlanta airport. I wanted to go home. But that wasn’t an option. So I did what I’ve done many times since: I moved forward, even when it was hard.

Lesson 1: How we arrive matters just as much as where we arrive.

Growing Up Inside Microsoft—and Burning Out

At Microsoft, I gave it my all. I dove headfirst into every project. One of my managers once told me, “You know it’s okay to take one day off on the weekend, right?” That’s how committed I was. I worked hard, got promoted, moved teams, and became a manager.

At the same time, I became a mother—a journey filled with complications. I remember one moment in particular: I was in a meeting, dizzy from exhaustion, and had to sit on the floor while a kind coworker supported me.

I pushed myself relentlessly, thinking that was the price of success. But somewhere along the way, the spark started to fade.

Lesson 2: High achievers often confuse endurance with resilience.

 

Signs of a New Calling

As a manager, I discovered a different kind of fulfillment. My team came to me with people challenges—conflicts, communication breakdowns, and emotional blocks. I had a knack for helping them through it. It felt natural. It felt right.

At first, I dismissed it as “just common sense.” But over time, I started to listen.

Lesson 3: Others often recognize our gifts before we do. Pay attention to what they reflect back.

 

What Happens When Success No Longer Feeds Your Soul?

Despite my achievements, I felt unsettled. I had two degrees in computer science. I was in a booming industry. I was supposed to be grateful. But a question kept bubbling up:

“I have only one life. Shouldn’t it mean more than this?”

So I stayed busy. Volunteering. Side projects. But the discomfort didn’t go away.

Lesson 4: You can delay discomfort, but you can’t outrun it.

 

What I Was Afraid Of

The idea of a career shift scared me. I feared losing relevance. My identity was tied to my title, my team, and my blue badge. What would people think if I gave it all up?

I worried I’d be wasting my education and that I’d disappoint my family. That I wouldn’t be successful at something new. I didn’t want to start over. But the pull toward something more meaningful was stronger than the fear.

Discovering Coaching: A Path I Didn’t Know Existed

I began researching. I explored options in HR, business school, and nonprofit work. Nothing fit.

Then, I stumbled across an article about someone who had left tech to become a coach. For the first time, I felt a spark, and I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. A career shift was possible.

But fear returned. It was 2009. The economy was tanking. I had a six-figure salary. Everyone told me to stay put.

Then I changed the question:

Lesson 5: Staying stuck in “Should I do it?” drains you. Asking “How could I make it work?” creates momentum.

 

Redefining Success: A Turning Point

At a Microsoft leadership conference, one speaker said:

“Consider yourself rich when you have enough to pay the bills. Then, do whatever you want to do.”

That landed deeply. I tested it. I went to the local mall and gave myself permission to buy whatever I wanted. But within two hours, I felt empty. That was my answer. I didn’t need more things. I needed meaningful work.

Lesson 6: If the problem feels too big, make a prototype. Run a small experiment. It will help you move forward.

What Helped Me Make the Leap

I didn’t leap without preparation. My husband and I discussed our finances. We figured out how to live simply for a year. I read a textbook on professional coaching that provided me with validation that I am well-suited for it.

Most importantly, I shifted my internal narrative. Instead of thinking, “I’m leaving something secure,” I started thinking, “I’m stepping into something real.”

That mindset shift made all the difference.

 

Letting Go of the Blue Badge

Once I was ready, I told my manager. My colleagues were shocked, but supportive. My extended family thought I was making a huge mistake.

Handing in my blue badge in a windowless basement felt like tearing away a piece of my identity. I walked out alone.

Lesson 7: Big choices are uncomfortable. However, avoiding discomfort can be more costly than facing it.

 

What My Career Shift Taught Me

The early days weren’t glamorous. I questioned everything. I missed the stability, the recognition.  I stumbled. I doubted. I looked back more than once. But every challenge stretched me. Every low helped me become a better partner, friend, and coach.

Today, I sit with leaders around the world in honest, sacred conversations. I help them pause, breathe, and reconnect with what truly matters. It feels like being a midwife to transformation.

Everything—my tech career, my struggles, my shift—prepared me for this work.

This is the work I was meant to do.
My career shift didn’t end my success story. It began a new one.

 

Are You Considering a Career Shift?

If you’re reading this and wondering if it’s too late or too risky to change directions, I’ll leave you with this:

You don’t have to have it all figured out.
You don’t have to do it alone.

👉 Curious how coaching can support your career shift? Let’s connect.