Your Career is a Journey: Employers Are Trains and Buses, Not Destinations.

And that’s the most important thing to understand as you move through your career: employers are not destinations. They’re just trains on the tracks.

Introduction

Life is a journey, and so is your career. Every step you take, every choice you make, every job you hold, is like getting on a train that’s heading somewhere. But here’s the thing: employers are like trains and buses. They are simply vehicles that take you to the next stop on your journey. They are not your final destination.

And that’s the most important thing to understand as you move through your career: employers are not destinations. They’re just trains on the tracks.

“So why did you leave a well paying comfortable executive job in banking ?, I did not leave banking, I graduated to join fintech.”

The Train Analogy.

Think of your career like a train ride. You get on at a station, and you know the train will take you somewhere that aligns with your current goals, skills, and desires. The final destination of that train is not yours to decide. Trains go where trains go.

Each employer you work for is like a different train. One might take you to a certain point in your career, and another might take you further down the line. But each time you get off, the train keeps going. It doesn’t wait for you. It doesn’t change its route just because you’ve reached your stop.

And that’s okay.

When you get off, it’s because that’s the point where your journey through that particular train ended. You’ve learned what you needed, grown as much as you could, and now you’re ready for a new direction. The train? It doesn’t care. It keeps moving. It will continue on to its next destination, and your departure doesn’t affect its course at all.

Employers Are Not Your Final Destination

I’ve been on a few different trains in my career. I started in banking, working at NMB Bank, then Barclays, Exim Bank, and finally Ecobank. It was a comfortable ride, and each company offered me a new set of experiences and skills. But each train had a clear endpoint, may be not so clear but in hindsight, I would say yeah.

At some point, I realized I had reached my station. I wasn’t looking for a longer ride, nor was I interested in staying on the same train just for the sake of staying. I got off at my stop. And here’s the thing—the train didn’t stop because I got off. It kept going.

Leaving banking to pursue fintech with Nala and then co-founding Tembo was my decision to get off the train. I wasn’t interested in the direction that train was heading anymore. I wanted a new route, a new adventure. And so I took the next step. I boarded a new train—this time, the train of entrepreneurship. But the important thing is that it was my choice.

It’s About Taking Control of Your Journey

The truth is, your career journey is yours to navigate. Employers are just vehicles that take you from one place to another. They are not your destination. And they should never feel like the final stop on your journey. Just like trains keep going once you get off, your career path will keep moving forward, even after you’ve moved on.

You might feel like staying on the same train is the safe option. After all, trains have set routes and schedules. They seem predictable. But in reality, staying on a train that no longer serves your goals or ambitions will only slow you down. Your destination can change at any time. And that’s okay.

You can always get off one train and take another—whether it’s a bus, a plane, or even a completely new route. The key is to take control of your journey. Don’t get stuck on a train just because it’s comfortable. Your journey is about your growth, your goals, and your future.

My friends say: So you retired young, I reply: “You may say it’s early retirement but I work much harder now., and What kind of retirement doesn’t have pension payments”

Why You Shouldn’t Worry About the Train’s Destination

Here’s something I learned over time: The train doesn’t care about you. It doesn’t care where you’re headed or if you’ve reached your stop. The train’s job is to go from point A to point B, and that’s all. The real question is, where do you want to go?

When I decided to leave banking and start working in fintech, I wasn’t concerned with the fact that the banking train was still running. I had my own path to follow. The train I had been on for so many years might have kept going, but it wasn’t my train anymore. I had a new destination in mind.

Staying on a train beyond your stop only costs you time, energy, and opportunities. If you're not moving toward your goals, then you're just riding along for the sake of the ride, and that’s not a fulfilling journey.

Taking a New Train (or Bus)

In the same way that trains need to change routes at certain stations, you may find that you need to switch paths, too. And just like getting off a train to catch a bus, you may need to pivot your career when you reach a point where staying just doesn’t make sense anymore.

For example, after my time in banking, I got off that train and boarded a new one in fintech. It was a risk, yes, but it was a calculated one. The bus I took after that got me even closer to the destination I was truly passionate about—building technology that could change the financial landscape in Africa.

Switching paths wasn’t a decision I made lightly, but it was a decision I had to make to stay true to my journey. And it’s a decision you have to make, too, when the time is right. Your career journey is yours to control—no one else’s.

Your Stop Will Come, and You Will Know When It’s Time

Ultimately, when your time on a certain train is up, you’ll know. You’ll feel it, You will see signals and signs that it’s about time. You’ll understand when it’s time to step off and look for the next train that aligns with your goals, values, and ambitions. And when you get off, don’t worry about the train’s destination—it doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is where you’re headed next.

So, if you’re currently riding a train that no longer excites you, or if you’re staying in a job just because it’s comfortable, maybe it’s time to look for a new route. Get off when you reach your station, and start looking for the next train that will take you to a place you truly want to be.

Remember, employers are like trains. They’ll take you from one place to another, but they are not your final destination. You are in charge of your journey. Make sure you're headed where you want to go. After all, your career is your journey, and the choice of where you go next is always in your hands.

The Shift in Priorities: The Freedom to Lead and Make an Impact

When I started my career in banking, it was all about learning, growing, and building a stable foundation. But 10 years later, I realized that my priorities had changed. I was no longer the single, ambitious young professional. I was a husband, a father of three, and I had aging parents to care for. My priorities weren’t just about climbing the corporate ladder anymore.

I needed more flexibility to work from different places. I needed to be present for my children as they grew up, to spend time with my wife, and to be there for my aging parents. I wanted freedom—freedom not just to make more money, but to make a deeper impact, to create value that mattered—not just to me, but to the world around me, and to my generation.

This wasn’t about earning a bigger paycheck. It was about leading in a way that could truly change lives. It was about building something meaningful that would last. And as much as I had enjoyed the comfort of my corporate roles, I knew the time had come to get off that train and take a new route.

When I co-founded Tembo, I wasn’t just taking a leap into fintech—I was taking control of my life, my time, and my legacy. I could work from anywhere, move at my own pace, and make decisions that truly aligned with my values. I wasn’t bound by the train’s schedule anymore. I had my own direction.