Deb's Newsletter
Under Pressure |
June 29th, 2009 |
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EMPOWER YOURSELF Under Pressure “If you don’t like how things are, change it! You’re not a tree.” Jim Rohn Do you feel under pressure to know exactly what you want to do for the rest of your life? Under pressure to know your passion? Do you feel like everyone else has it figured out except for you? My “baby”’ has his high school graduation tonight. He is rapidly being thrown into the world of “adulthood”. He is bombarded with choices. He is overwhelmed with all the decisions he has to make. He’s confused in which direction is right for him. He is excitedly researching different careers, how many years of school it takes to get different degrees and of course, what are the financial opportunities in each one. He talks about being a pilot, perhaps an architect or possibly a civil engineer (although he can’t quite figure out exactly what they do). However, the exhilaration of speed (motorcycles, cars, dirt bikes – thanks Uncle K) still makes his eyes sparkle, as does the blasting music he enjoys while playing his drums and guitar (thanks Uncle K & D). Maybe he’ll be a rock star with several motorcycles and cars… This is a magical time in a young person’s life as they are so bright-eyed and bushy tailed about their future. The opportunities are endless. There are so many exciting things to do. How can you possibly pick just one? I tell my son the same thing that I tell my clients – you don’t have to pick just one. Instead, develop a plan to incorporate all the things that you love to do and build them into different areas of your life, such as your career, hobbies, lifestyle, volunteering, etc. Achieve fulfillment in your life from a variety of activities. First, let’s look at a career. For a young person just graduating from high school, there is a lot of pressure to know what they want to do for the rest of their life. Personally, I think this is nonsense on so many levels. How can we expect a 17 or 18 year old to know this? Preposterous! Now, there are certainly a lucky few who knew what they wanted to be when they grew up from the time they were 5 years old, but this is the exception. Most young adults are not sure as their interests vary from day to day. My advice to my son is to start by taking a wide variety of courses in College or University to see which ones interest you and what you really connect with. Or, take some time off of school to explore the world. One of the best educations you can get is to travel to foreign lands, experience different cultures and have no one to rely on when times get tough, except for yourself. Then, after exploring different fields / options, commit to pursuing one for a certain period of time, for example, 3 – 5 years. Then, just go for it. If something changes along the way, simply adjust your timeline to achieve your goal. The beautiful thing about having personal goals is that you own them, which also means you can change them at any time! If you commit to something and find that it just isn’t working for you, change directions. Keep changing directions until it feels right. But beware! This “right” feeling may not last forever. That’s okay! You can change directions whenever you need to. Celebrate the fact that you have such a colorful personality (a rainbow personality), that you get bored easily. There is nothing wrong with people who change jobs frequently (although it can be very frustrating), they just enjoy variety. Now, I realize that you might be saying “well, all that is fine for an 18 year old, but at my stage in life I have financial responsibilities. I can’t just try something else.” My reply, “why not?” I am not suggesting being irresponsible, but this can be achieved in a variety of ways. One way is working with a coach to share ideas with, to help you to explore different options then to hold you accountable to take small steps weekly to achieve your goals. In a relatively short period of time, you can discover and create the life you love. My message is that life is too short to be miserable, unhappy or unfulfilled. Whether you are 18 or 58, investing the time to discover what makes your life wheel well rounded is vital to your personal success. It may appear to be easier at 18, but is it really? Take some pressure off, as nothing is forever. Congratulations to my son Blake who will be great at whatever he chooses to do in his life. I am and always will be, very proud of you. This Month: 1. Re-read the quote on the first page. Read it again. 2. Write down the things in your life that are not fulfilling. Empower Yourself – Try This: If you were 18 again, what would you aspire to be? Be specific. Is there a possibility of having this now, in some form or another? Fall Coaching Workshops I am currently developing my fall workshop series which will begin in September, 2009. There will be one workshop per month with a variety of topics. Special prices will be offered for frequent attendees as well as for pre-payment. Details will be mailed in August. If you have any suggestions or ideas for topics or format, please let me know as I promise to continue delivering great value to all participants. Have a safe and happy summer. Warm regards, Deb |
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Past Newsletters:
August 31st, 2010 - Never Say Never
May 5th, 2010 - I Can't
April 8th, 2010 - Let It Go
March 12th, 2010 - Life Is Good
February 8th, 2010 - Don't Miss Out on This One!
More Past Newsletters