Aligned to Rise: Why I Chose Purpose Over Position

By Andrea De Jager-Jackson

How walking away from misalignment brought me closer to the leader I was meant to be. 

There comes a moment when staying no longer serves you, and leaving becomes the most aligned decision you can make. For me, that moment came after two decades working in business.

I had built a career I was proud of, earned leadership roles, and was helping to shape the future of organizations. But behind the scenes, something was shifting. I could no longer ignore the growing gap between what the business prioritized and what I knew to be true about purpose driven and values-based leadership.

The clear turning point for me was when I attended a global two-day leadership team meeting. The atmosphere in the room was so unhealthy, I clammed up half of the time, not knowing what was safe to say or not say. The version of Andrea that showed up was one filled with self-doubt and fear of speaking up. During day one of the meeting, I developed a twitch in my eyelid.

At first, I brushed it off, thinking it was just fatigue or dehydration from the travel I was doing. But when the twitch didn’t leave until I was on my flight home to Toronto 48 hours later, I knew it was a sign. It was my body screaming what my heart already knew. This wasn’t the place for me anymore.

So, I made the clearest decision of my life: I walked away.

I left a leadership position not because I lacked opportunity or growth, but because the leadership I was being asked to model to be successful at the company no longer aligned with my values. I didn’t want to keep navigating systems that made women shrink to succeed, or just go along. I didn’t want to keep having conversations about culture while reinforcing norms that stifled authenticity. And, I didn’t want to ask others to lead in ways I couldn’t stand behind myself.

Instead, I chose purpose.

Today, my purpose is clear: to empower women and the companies they impact to lead and thrive. I help women master their thinking patterns so they can lead with greater impact and authenticity. I do this because I believe that when women rise, everyone rises.

It’s a powerful ripple effect. When women lead with clarity and courage, their teams become more engaged. Their businesses grow. Their families feel it. Their communities benefit. We don’t just need more women in leadership, we need more women leading on their own terms.

But getting to that place isn’t always easy.

Women are often taught to lead by someone else’s rules. We’re told to aim high, but not too high. To play it safe. To be confident, but not intimidating. To own our expertise, but make sure we’re still likable. Even when we earn our place, we’re asked to adapt, tone it down, or perform a version of leadership that doesn’t feel natural or right.

That kind of dissonance wears on you. It wears on your health, your confidence, and your sense of self. I’ve seen it happen to too many women, and I’ve lived it.

That’s why my decision to leave wasn’t just about exiting a role. It was about reclaiming alignment. It was about walking toward the kind of impact I wanted to have, on my own terms. It was about becoming the kind of leader I would want other women to see. Not a perfectly polished version, but a whole, real one.

Since then, I’ve coached women who are ready to rise but need support to rewire their self-identity, rewrite the rules, and reimagine what’s possible. Together, we break cycles of doubt, dismantle old narratives, and rebuild a new, more empowered version of leadership. One rooted in purpose and aligned action.

I’ve seen firsthand what happens when women thrive. Innovation increases. Teams become more resilient. Cultures shift. Change becomes more inclusive and sustainable and the next generation starts to believe they can rise, too.

This work isn’t just about leadership in a title. It’s about leadership in life. It’s about showing up in alignment with your values in every room you walk into. Whether that’s in the boardroom, your community, your home, or the choices you make daily. Leading with purpose isn’t just what you do. It’s who you are.

To any woman reading this who feels the tension of misalignment, who’s questioning if she can lead her way, or wondering if her values belong at the table, let me tell you: you don’t have to compromise who you are to succeed. You get to define success on your own terms.

You don’t need to be louder to be heard. You don’t need to be tougher to be respected. You don’t need to be anyone other than who you already are.

Because when you choose to lead from the inside out, anchored in purpose, guided by values, and fueled by courage, you rise.

And when you rise, so does everyone around you.

Connect With Andrea

www.linkedin.com/in/andreadejagerjackson

Coming soon: www.andreadejagerjackson.com (Check back in summer 2025!)