When you think about your career, have you planned it all out or has it been mostly accidental? When you are asked to take on a new role, do you consider whether the role is a good fit for you or do you just agree to take it? Many people just take it. Why is that? Maybe you are flattered that someone picked you for the role, you are ready for a change, you are happy to learn something new or you feel you have no choice. This may continue to happen for many years until one day you wake up and ask yourself if you are really happy? Have you really fulfilled your passion and your potential?
Does that describe you and your career? For many people, they get very comfortable in their jobs and earning a steady salary. It is scary to leave and take the risk of going to another company that may or may not work out as you hope it will. I recently read a quote from Movie Director James Cameron who said, “There are many talented people who haven’t fulfilled their dreams because they over thought it, or they were too cautious, and were unwilling to make the leap of faith.”
What if you took that Leap of Faith in your life and fulfilled your dreams? You probably thought about it at one time or another and then talked yourself out of it. Obviously there are always good reasons not to do it: retirement is coming, you don’t think you have enough money, you have kids to raise and put through college, or there are too many other responsibilities that you have. But have you at least considered it?
[Tweet “Author Robin Sharma said, Please don’t live the same year 80 times and call it a life.”] Many people are doing this without even realizing it. What would it look like to take that leap of faith and realize some or all of your dreams? Take 30 minutes in a quiet place that inspires you and really consider it. Write down this vision for yourself and see what your life could look like in 5 years, 15 years, at retirement or even sooner? Give yourself permission to have no boundaries and just write it down!
Are your dreams focused on your professional or your personal life? Would it mean a different job or maybe it is checking things off of your bucket list (do you even have a bucket list started?) What if you were able work at a job that you loved so much it didn’t feel like working? How different would it be to get up in the morning and be excited to go to work? Maybe it is taking a year off to travel to places you have always wanted to see or leaving your high stress job to spend more time with your family and start your own business.
Michelangelo said: “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” Remember it is never too late to realize your dreams; you just need to go do it!
Tell me what taking a Leap of Faith and realizing your dreams would look like for you!