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How do you get there?
By Charles Martin | February 24, 2009
On a run I get the adrenaline high that just blows all other “highs” I’ve experienced away. (not saying that any drugs were involved). All athletes (and some uber professionals like doctors) get this on some level and it’s one of the big reasons we force ourselves off the sofa and into the streets to do it again and again.
On a recent run I was thinking how great it would be to be able to just bring that experience to use when I needed it. Right before a big pitch. On groggy mornings when the kids need to get ready for school. Many parts of any day really. In a few guru sesssions in my past they trained us to do just this. There was a bunch of heavy breathing and hyperventilating to replicate that sensation. I wish it was a bit less drastic and dramatic.
Right now and in this day and time we need to stop what we’re doing in our cubes and look around. Get the clearest head you can for 40 seconds (or do the guru chant you like or just breathe…) and ask yourself if your current situation at work is the right one for you. Yes, you read right — I’m talking about going out in the darkness of the worst economy of the ages and look for a job. I didn’t say quit your current job (but if you have means please consider it). This economy is so exciting and so FULL of opportunity. How many times do I need to tell you about the iPhone App guys that are kicking your butt and staying home doing it?
Clearly, I am so excited right now about the new prospects for my future and it is for the very reason that the world is so crazy right now, that I am more invigorated. As I noted before, there are lots of places for every one of us. Just search and ye shall find.
To do this, the thing you are passionate about needs to be brought to the surface and not poo-poo’d as a pipe dream. To work, passions need to be brought out from under the bills, the family naysayers, the other naysayers in your life and allowed to rule your mind for a while. The naysayers will always be there — even if you’re a billionaire. The bills will too.
Volunteer at a nursing home this weekend or next and talk with the folks who’ve either lived by their passion’s roadmap or someone else’s. I bet you the former will be the happier, healthier looking group without a question. It doesn’t matter what this passion is by the way. If what you are doing in your cube or corner office right now is the key to that passion and success on all scales, then I say stay. But, if you do, reset yourself on a regular basis so you don’t lose sight of your goal. Resetting means asking the questions that can scare you.
Look — my thing is that we spend more time doing something for others (our bosses) than we do with our children and our loved ones. Sure, the time you spend allows the other time to be pleasant and peaceful (or it should). But, if you’re gonna work for the Man or you are the Man you might as well make it payoff to the best of its ability. I often tell a lot of hourly folks I know that ask for advice that they could make the same wage at a much happier place. Disneyland pays as good or better than CVS Drugs and the “patients” are happier.
Now, go gettem!
Topics: Mind and Planet, Office crap | No Comments »