beat the odds
To Be Or Not To Be? That Is The Question
In Shakespeare’s famous soliloquy, Hamlet was questioning whether or not to keep living. That is not today’s question. Let’s look at it a different way. Using the same words, consider the meaning of the famous phrase this way: “to be or not to be… myself?” That is today’s question.
“It’s not what you do for a living that will make you happy. It’s who that job allows you to be.” That is a key line from my TEDx Talk and from Now What? 90 Days to a New Life Direction which is the backbone of today’s question. If your job allows you to be yourself — the best parts of yourself — it will bring you satisfaction and likely a modicum of happiness.
Do you like who your job makes you be? Does it bring out your best or your worst? Do you simply tolerate your own behavior? Does it honor all you have to offer? Is it fulfilling?
IF the answer is no, don’t fret. Read on to find out how to get your mojo back.
You thought it was the job you hated. Nah. What you hate is how unaligned you are with yourself: your values, what you care about, what you want to contribute, and your best self.
What’s required is a turn-around of your focus. Stop performing your job and start protecting your soul.
To BE you again you have to:
- Get rid of the vampires that suck your time, your energy, your goodness
- Either find a motivating reason to be there or get out
- Revisit your job description and explore if there’s a way to renegotiate it to better suit you
- Make time for hobbies or outside-of-work pursuits that feed your soul (it may even be your family!)
- Restore a sense of purpose by focusing a vision for what’s possible that is bigger than your need for a paycheck (on this job, a new job or outside of work) —a change in policy, culture, direction, branding, focus, product or a significant problem to be solved.
These are all pretty tall orders, I understand. However, just acting upon one of these bullet points would change how you feel about your work significantly. Choose one, keep it at the forefront, rinse and repeat.
Helping you make this shift is what we love to do at Now What?® Coaching. Let us know how we can support you to reach new levels of career and life satisfaction.
When Everything Falls Apart
Even when there is a massive crash, it is possible to rise again and find a new way to be in the world.
If you want to change, you can.
15 Steps I Took to Successfully Reinvent Myself After Losing Everything
The Key to Work You’ll Love: Doing What’s Valuable
You hear it all the time, and admittedly you’ve heard it here: “Follow your passion!”
It’s not always the best starting place because you might get stuck, not sure what that means. However, as you explore, develop skills, and find work that brings value, your passion may emerge.
This is a Call to Action!
Whether it’s time to act in your business, your career, your family, your community, or the world stage, it’s time to put up or shut up.
It’s not a secret that I’ve become more politically involved in the last eighteen months. That is the impetus behind this post, but I won’t be launching into my opinions. Instead, I am writing this month’s message to prompt you to engage with the energy going on in the world right now. It applies to everyone no matter your preferences or core leanings. And it does not have to have anything to do with politics!
This is not a time to be passive. There has never been a better time to put your money where your mouth is. If you want to achieve a goal, now is the time to take courageous action. If you know you’re overdue to make a change, share your true feelings about someone or something or even declare a niche in your business. NOW IS THE TIME!
WHY?
Chaos calls for leadership. If you stand on the sidelines waiting for things to settle down, you get eaten up by the changes. If you participate in the solution, you could still stand to lose, but at least you were not a bystander. Chances are, by leading, you will build your own path with others following because they didn’t know how to lead.
WHAT?
What you want to affect is up to you. Remember, to change something you’re likely going to have to first change minds. Build those relationships and supporters so that you are more likely to have influence.
HOW?
You just DO! Find a way. Begin with what makes sense to you and give it a try. If that doesn’t work, try again. This is not a time to give up hope.
Again, there is no one way. You show up. That’s how. Volunteer, disrupt, call someone you think you could never reach, write a blog, run your own event or program . Whatever it is, SHOW UP!
WHEN?
Now! Immediately. In less than 24 hours. Just now. Why? Because chaos calls for leadership – your leadership.
Trust that your showing up makes a difference because it does. Now, more than ever, we need what you have to bring to this party called life.
Meaning Will Carry You Through
Viktor Frankl, a man who survived and found hope in the most hopeless of conditions says, “Man’s main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain but rather to see a meaning in his life.”
We invite you to find your meaning at Now What?® Coaching.
Viktor Frankl: How Love Got Him Through