Status Limbo
To get status, you have to give up status.
When you step off the colloquial ladder, you land in status limbo.
I’ve visited status limbo a few times, each after a decision to pause or step off a well-regarded path to explore a drastically different one. This time around, it started when I decided to leave my most recent job, and that too, without a perfectly charted out next move.
Since then, I’ve been exploring new ideas as a founder and embracing a new approach. I’ve also poured time into creative pursuits and personal goals. All of this has been incredibly fruitful, but hasn’t significantly moved me out of status limbo. To be honest, I haven't actively sought to escape it.
Nevertheless, there are moments when I'm reminded of where I am. It usually happens when someone asks, 'What are you working on right now?' or 'Are you still pursuing X?' or 'Do you miss doing Y?' Sometimes they ask directly, and other times, I hear it through the proverbial grapevine.
Status limbo is a state of being …