Go For It

Last night I delivered a presentation called Go For It: Life is Too Short to Let Fear Stop You.   The particpants and I talked for 90 minutes and could have gone on for much longer!  I thought I would share some of the highlights in case you are in the same place many of them are.

I first asked the group – what are you Going For?

Some didn’t know yet they felt ready to “go for” something (new/different), some said they have many ideas but not always sure which to choose, others had more specific goals like writing and getting an advanced degree.

We then looked at what is stopping them from Going For It

For those who were unsure of their path or goal, that one was easy.  When you don’t know what you want it makes it easier to stay put.  Others who had some ideas of what they wanted to go for mentioned doubt, perfection, the need for safety and procrastination as reasons they stop.

I then asked – how much does what you want to Go For matter to you?

I asked them to rate it on a scale from 0 to 100.  Some were at 100, some at 80, others at 60.    When your goal or intention really matters to you, you are more likely to Go For It.  If you find your own goals/wants low on the rating scale, ask yourself why that is.  Is the goal not clear enough to you?  Is it just a fleeting thoughts/idea or something you’ve been contemplating for a long time?  Is the goal you listed not really the goal at all (for example, if writing is your goal but you rate it low, perhaps expression is really the goal and writing just one vehicle for that).

Next steps

We then focused on strategies to help you Go For It.  Some of those included believing in yourself, taking baby steps (that are out of your comfort zone) and seeking support (you can hire a coach, find a friend who is also Going For It or find it in a group of individuals with similar interests or paths).

What would you like to Go For?

Expectations vs Intentions

I know I have visited this topic before but I had a wonderful example I wanted to share.

We finally experienced our Mediteranean cruise!  We have been talking about this trip for the past 8 years and planning it for several months so expectations were bound to be high.  In Italy we visited Florence, Sienna, San Gimignano, Pisa, Rome, Taormina (Sicily), Amalfi coast and Pompeii.  In Greece we visited Athens, Rhodes, Santorini and Mykonos and we also visited Kusadaci Turkey.  It was a whirlwind of activity and incredible scenery and we had an amazing time.

My expectations for certain places were particularly high – this included Florence, the Tuscan countryside, Amalfi and the Greek islands.  All of these places were beautiful but I noticed that because reality didn’t match my mental image of what they “should” be my experience was effected a bit.    This was in stark contrast to the experience I had in the places I had little expectations of like Rome, Sicily and Turkey as those were some of my favorite experiences.

My overall intention for this trip was to be “present” in each place, fully taking in all the sights, sounds and culture of each city and country, especially since we were seeing so much in such a short time – to notice the differences and celebrate the fact that we were here!  While I did that most of the trip, I found that when my expectations were high, it distracted me from being present because I was comparing it to something rather than seeing/experiencing it for what it was.

How will I used this awareness in future travels?  I will decide a destination by what it has to offer but will hold back from viewing images of what it looks like or others evaluations of the experience they had there.  This way I will be able to discover in the moment what each place has to offer, seeing it as it is, not what I imagine it should be.

How have expectations gotten in your way?

I am going to share some some images from each of the places we visited, if you don’t want them to shape your expectations of these places, don’t look 🙂

Florence
Amalfi Drive, Italy
Santorini, Greece
Rhodes, Greece
Tuscan countryside
Rome

Take Ownership of Your Career

Great participation and conversation ensued during a recent Taking Ownership of Your Career seminar in Raleigh, NC!  Taking ownership means being strategic, proactive and committed to your  growth.  Is is not sitting idle waiting for someone to notice you or offer you more opportunity.

We talked about when and how we know we are getting too comfortable in our current careers/jobs.  Some responses included:

  • no longer challenged or inspired
  • we stop growing
  • no longer intellectually stimulated
  • it feels like a job not a career
  • we start pushing the limits, seeing how much we can get away with
I also asked the group what matters most to them in their career.  Some of their responses included words like fulfilled and challenged – so I asked them to get more specific, choosing words that better describe what really matters. Here is what some shared:
  • being engaged (in their work)
  • being creative
  • feeling accomplished
  • variety
  • service
Being more descriptive like this helps you know more clearly what you are seeking when making taking greater ownership of your current career or seeing a career transition.
We also talked about the importance of your mindset and beliefs when taking greater ownership of your career.  This includes what you believe about yourself (capabilities, potential, adaptability, etc), what you believe about the world of work (there is something I am interested in learning more about or pursuing, there are opportunities no matter what the economy, there are many people I can learn from, etc)
Taking ownership of your career requires stepping out of your comfort zone, either small steps or giant leaps.
How willing are you to step into a bit of discomfort to take your career to new heights?