Could you do it? Up and walk away from everything in your life that your family and friends may associate with who you are? Your job, money, status and prestige? What would it take?
This is what Jonathan Fields, author of the book Career Renegade: How to Make a Great Living Doing What You Love
Jonathan is someone I have only learned about recently and have not had the chance to read his book, but he has a great post about what caused him to make a leap most would describe as “freakin’ insane” as well as the challenges in doing so. But here is the quote that grabbed me:
I’d realized what makes me happy isn’t money, power and prestige, but rather the opportunity to:
- Engage in activities that make me come alive,
- Surround myself with people I can’t get enough of and
- Earn enough to live well in the world.
Short, sweet and one pretty darn good list, wouldn’t you say? What’s fascinating about it is I think most people would have a hard time arguing with it. What’s not to like? It’s practically motherhood and apple pie.
So then why do so few of us actually do this?
From my own perspective, I would say because I make it waaaay too easyfor myself to get distracted by 1,001 other things. Does that make it OK? Aww hell no. Every time I stop and reflect, I want to kick my own behind from losing sight of it… again.
One thing to keep in mind with the list above is that you don’t need to up and leave your job, move to some brand new place and make a hugely radical change at all. While that does work for some people, that kind of sudden shift is not going to work for most. What we can all do (me too!) is begin to figure out our end point of happiness and begin to redirect towards that goal. Maybe it’s some small changes where you work and how you interact with your boss and then making more time for those activities you love, but just seem to neglect.
But then again, you could just trade in your wingtips for flip-flops I’m just sayin’.