Incorporate More Of What You Love

I love the Amazon sledding commercial.  It shows three elderly women on a bench, lost in memories as they watch kids sledding on a hill.  The end has them sledding down the hill, intermingled with scenes of their younger selves doing the same.

 

And then today I came across my 4^th grade report card.  Comment from Ms. Robinson: “He is definitely challenged.  Silliness is his weakness… He is one who refuses to face the fact that he is growing up.”

 

Oh what a weakness to have!  I’m so glad my mother wasn’t able to completely knock it out of me – here was her responding comment, “He is challenged and enjoys your class – but apparently finds it hard to mend his foolish ways!  We’ve discussed the problem fully with him.”

 

I also found it interesting that Ms. Robinson commented, “His writing is very careless.”

 

I’m not sure what to make of that, although maybe I managed to address the ‘carelessness’ without straying into ‘formal and pedantic’ – I’ve now written the equivalent of several books on career search through two decades of Career Tips, blogging, and outside publications, plus one actual book on interviewing that is on my computer but just hasn’t gone through the publication process.

 

What attribute or dream did you have as a kid that perhaps you have forgotten or suppressed, and what might happen if you incorporated some of it in your life or career?

 

Here’s a concrete example.

 

One of my clients, who I’ll call Bruce, hired me to help him find a new job with a higher level of leadership responsibility.  Our first efforts created a partnership with his boss, who was thrilled to help him grow his role internally.

 

One day I got a call to tell me that Bruce was in the emergency room.  He had a panic attack at work.

 

I asked Bruce if it still made sense to seek a higher level of leadership responsibility, when the current level had already produced enough stress to put him in the E.R.

 

At that point he shared with me that ever since he was a boy, he’d wanted to write graphic novels.  He’d pushed this aside all his life as he worked to support his family.

 

Now that it was out in the open, we shifted gears to find a role where he wouldn’t have to give up any significant amount of compensation, but could have less stress and extra time and energy to finally pursue his writing.  His wife was completely on board with this.  Bruce was able to make that transition happen pretty quickly, and they are both much happier.

 

So here’s your homework assignment:

• Think of skills, attributes or dreams you had early in life that you haven’t pursued.
• Now think of one that still draws you.
• Brainstorm to find one way you can incorporate it into an aspect of your life or career.

 

Struggling with this assignment?  Perhaps we should talk.