“I really hate my job.” It wasn’t a comment I hadn’t heard before, but as my brother in law and I were driving a few weeks ago, after having buried his mom (My wife’s mother), it just seemed like such a strange time and place to make such a bold proclamation.
But the more I thought about it, the setting was probably the most perfect time for it to be exclaimed. The brevity of life as a loved one is laid to rest is a great time to pause and reflect back on one's own life.
Time is a brutal master, it marches on despite our best attempts to stop or at least slow it down. It plays no favorites and is blind to social and economic factors. The reality is simply this when your time is up - IT’S UP!
So I asked my brother in law why hasn’t he taken steps to cure his hatred of his job. He has been at the same company for 20+ years, so I guess the complacency and familiarity of that breeds a certain level of contentedness. But why not put himself out there and explore a new challenge.
The sad reality is most of us are afraid to take that next step. We are more content to soldier on living a life of mediocrity then we are to be bold with our lives and live our lives to their fullest.
Not being one to believe in coincidence, I can’t help but notice that today's Monday Morning Minute is being posted on Labor Day, a day set aside to honor the working men and women of our great country.
I’d like to challenge you, perhaps today in place of the barbecue and cold beer, spend a few minutes laying out the framework for the next chapter of your life. I’d offer the following framework to begin the process:
#1. Where am I today?
#2. Where would I like to be a year from today?
#3. List 3-4 steps I can take to move me from the here and now to the place I want to be a year from now.
I know the whole “live like you are dying” idea has become quite cliched, but the idea is still a good one. If you only had a year left on your clock, what changes would you make?
Sadly for my brother in law, he is more content to stay where he as it and complain about it than he is to actually make life-altering decisions. But you don’t have to be that way. I can’t think of a better day than today to start making the changes you want to make in your life to truly live your life to its fullest.
As a Life / Business Coach I work with people who have done exactly that. They know they want more out of their lives (businesses) and they’ve intentionally taken steps to move towards those goals, dreams and desires.
How about making today the first day of the rest of your life and intentionally make a plan that sees you living your life to its fullest.
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