Am I in the place I thought I would be at this point in my career? Is there something missing?
What comes up when you start thinking about your life and career? Are you are no longer thrilled about the work you are doing, waking up wondering how did I get here and do I like it here, and more so, am I really doing the work I imagined?
Too often we wake up to discover what Leon Logothetis, author of the Live, Love, Explore describes as: ‘I’m living someone else’s life’. We are making good money, have a great lifestyle and ‘should’ be content, but something is missing.
“When we lead with our heads, we become focused on competition: do more, earn more, make more.” (source: Live, Love, Explore) We become locked into our wealth, career standing and lifestyle – which can feel like a trap and the antithesis of living a fulfilling, enriching life.
Too often those around me, and I too, have been caught up in it – make more, buy more, do more….yet at the end of day is there sustenance in ‘more’? It can be a cycle that takes us away from our dreams and our vision of what we truly want.
I’m not suggesting you up and quit your job (as Leon did) and go on a worldwide quest to uncover the root of what you really love doing. Instead you can make small shifts to start doing more of the work you love, and live the life you truly imagined.
But as Theodore Roosevelt states – Change is not for the faint of heart: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better…The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”
I see my friends, family and colleagues doing work they love, alive with a spirit of personal adventure and fulfillment. They all have one key trait: they are bold. They set ambitious goals that are intensely meaningful to them, i.e.: take my family on a European vacation; start an entrepreneurial venture; do my MBA; launch my job search. But being bold isn’t just about big, moon landing steps. For most of us it’s the small steps taken each day – starting today – that shift our lives.
To get started Leon recommends considering:
- What sparks your interest?
- Are you doing enough of what interests you in your life or work?
- Acknowledge that this is scary to consider but also realize there is a big lie that holds you in place. That big lie tells you it’s safe in your comfort zone and if you venture out you will fail. But weigh, what is the cost if you don’t shift?
- Then consider: What is one thing you can do today to start realizing your dream?
Whatever your wild or not so wild passion is, today is the day to do one thing to move forward in this new direction. Share your aspiration with others and create a community of champions dedicated to your goal. Keep yourself focused through daily revisiting your action plan and not ending the day without taking one step forward. It takes guts and boldness but the outcome is life transforming.
So what are you doing today to move your dream forward?
Leon Logothetis is dedicated to living a life filled with purpose and meaning. Need inspiration and strategies? Read his new book: Live, Love, Explore and check out his Netflix hit: The Kindness Diaries – One Man’s Quest to Ignite Goodwill and Transform Lives Around the World.
Author: Joanne Loberg of JL Careers Inc. is a Certified Executive Coach and Internationally Certified Career Management Professional. She has a reputation as a highly sought after Career Consultant and she has been referred to as “an absolute expert at navigating the complex territory of career advancement.” Copyright JL Careers Inc. All rights reserved.
Feeling Stuck in Your Career?
I specialize in working with professionals and executives to help them get more of what they want in their careers. Let’s connect for a complimentary telephone consultation to determine what’s getting in the way of your moving forward. By identifying this root issue or roadblock, we can then determine next steps to reaching your career goals.
Wishing you much career success!
Joanne Loberg
Certified Executive Coach & Internationally Certified Career Management Professional
JL Careers Inc
