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Tag: experience

Listen wisely.

There are times you’ll feel like giving up.
Something else will come along, tempt you, appeal to your vulnerability, try to lure you back to the world you wanted to leave in the first place.
And then…

  • long hours
  • sleepless nights
  • infrequent, unreliable pay
  • instability, uncertainty
  • temporary narrowed vision, neglect of self and others
  • an obsessive desire to work (all of the time!)
  • scrapping, hustling, clinging, clawing
  • frustration
  • failing
  • loneliness
  • despair

What is louder: momentary discomfort or the dreams you have for yourself?
You’ll hear lots of voices — of fear, of doubters, of jealous naysayers…
Of the true calling of your heart.
Listen wisely.

3 simple ways to bring serendipity into your life

Some of the best connections happen when you least expect it. Call it luck, fate or serendipity, there’s something magical about meeting the right person at the right time. The secret lies in getting out of your comfort zone and letting serendipity lead the way. 3 tips to get you started:

1. Force yourself to be social.

The moments you don’t feel like meeting new people… I swear, if you can get yourself out of the house, you’re going to have the time of your life. Chances are you will meet someone who will blow your mind. Think of it as Murphy’s Law for connection.

2. Haven’t been to the library since high school? Go now.

Place yourself in new environments and step outside of your typical routine. Go to a different coffee shop. Skip the gym and exercise in the park. STOP DOING THE SAME THINGS.

3. Throw caution to the wind.

Say yes. More often. Accept party invites. Accept any invite. Go to coffee dates, lunch meetings, conferences — just go. If you’re on the fence, say yes. Let go of your schedule and intentionally disrupt your routine. You will be rewarded.

Talk serendipity and more during today’s #cxchat (2pm EST) and read summaries from past chat events here.

In 5 years…

I see this again and again with my clients. I’ve even done it myself.

We have so many choices, so many options, it’s difficult to settle on long-term decisions and commit. Paralyzed with indecision and uncertainty, we get in our own way and waver from one idea to the next. A helpful exercise:

Envision the person you’d like to become.

Think about your work life.

Your home.

Where you’d like to live.

Who you’re spending your time with.

Get detailed and really imagine it. Write it out so you can refer back to this dream often.

When you allow yourself to imagine an overall vision, it becomes an umbrella under which daily decisions can be made and choices become easier to manage.

Your future has an exponential number of possibilities. Don’t cheat yourself out of any of them.

67 things to feel absolutely OK about

  1. admitting you’re wrong
  2. changing your mind
  3. carefully making decisions
  4. stillness
  5. failing
  6. taking big risks
  7. doing things for free
  8. doing what you’re good at
  9. doing nothing
  10. charging what you’re worth
  11. quitting
  12. losing
  13. aiming high
  14. falling flat
  15. guessing
  16. your emotions
  17. anxiety
  18. nervousness
  19. reading and rereading and reading two or three more times your working draft
  20. standing in line
  21. speaking up for yourself
  22. disagreeing with leaders
  23. backing down
  24. making your own rules
  25. recognizing your priorities
  26. saying no
  27. saying yes
  28. revisiting your goals
  29. rewording your story
  30. waiting for the right moment
  31. sending an email with a spelling mistake
  32. rehearsing your conversation
  33. practicing your pitch again and again (and again!)
  34. writing down what you’re planning to say
  35. fear
  36. uncertainty
  37. making lists
  38. leaving lists unfinished
  39. eating dessert
  40. shutting off your phone
  41. leaving emails unanswered
  42. making a mess
  43. working on vacation
  44. sleeping in
  45. envy
  46. rejection
  47. yourself
  48. being different
  49. being alone
  50. wanting a tribe
  51. setting boundaries
  52. avoiding unknown social situations
  53. crying
  54. caring “too much”
  55. seeing a half-empty glass
  56. seeing a glass that is half full
  57. singing out of tune
  58. dancing without rhythm
  59. hugging
  60. not having a plan
  61. being the odd one out
  62. asking questions
  63. observing
  64. laughing in a meeting
  65. being the boss
  66. redefining professionalism
  67. answering “I don’t know.”

27 reasons to put yourself on a sabbatical

  1. Reevaluate your current goals and aspirations
  2. Consider what you wish you would have learned sooner (and teach yourself)
  3. Update your story so it accurately reflects who you are
  4. Take time to build and nourish your relationships
  5. Write thank you notes to those who have played important roles in your life
  6. Think about what risks you’ll take in the coming months
  7. Meet someone new
  8. Let serendipity work for you
  9. Read a book (or two) you keep meaning to
  10. Find new sources of inspiration — a different coffee shop, a nature trail, a hidden park bench, a museum exhibit, an antique store
  11. Set coffee dates without specific objectives
  12. Gift yourself time to do whatever you want, no pressure
  13. Contribute to the communities and tribes that are important to you
  14. Dedicate time to your health
  15. Cook from a new recipe with ingredients from your neighborhood farmers market
  16. You deserve it!
  17. Ask what you’re afraid of
  18. Savor a slower, more intentional pace
  19. Be alone with your thoughts and dreams
  20. Connect with nature
  21. Rediscover your favorite neighborhood
  22. Wander aimlessly
  23. Travel someplace you’ve never been (it could be the next town)
  24. Listen — really listen — to a favorite album, from start to finish
  25. Watch an old movie
  26. Enroll in a class (Skillshare, GA, etc.)
  27. Write. Write every day.

Creating opportunities

Today I have the good fortune of finding myself in the heart of New York City, surrounded by folks who are making their biggest dreams happen. I’m looking at a room of individuals who refuse to accept complacency, who want to embrace the revolutionary times we’re living in.
These people are risk-takers, entrepreneurs, storytellers, researchers, bosses, and creative weavers. They are here because they want to understand where their biggest opportunities are, and they want to figure out what to do about them.
Seth Godin is leading the charge. And he’s encouraging us to pick ourselves and make a dent in the connection economy.
It’s no accident I’m here.
There’s something to be said for making decisions that allow you to place yourself in environments that support your work and your dreams, for seeking out others who encourage you to keep going, and for putting yourself in the game.
It takes concentrated effort, some sacrifice, and the ability to imagine — to ask yourself what if, to wander away from the beaten path, to dare yourself to explore, and to schedule time into your days to chase opportunity.
It is absolutely possible. And you must.
The best moments rarely come to you. They are the result of channeled energy, thought, patience, and effort.
Please, please look to create the opportunities you want.
Possibility surrounds you. Make the choice to embrace it.