There are two things that really stick out for me in people’s responses when I tell them that our company is called Do What You Love and then subsequently explain what we do.
Firstly, “Wow, that sounds cool… I need that” and secondly, only seconds later (often within the same breath) in complete contrast “But then, not many of us can… we all have jobs to do don’t we?”
I continually wonder why we, as human beings, are so quick to shy away from our dreams, shut down our options and turn away from opportunities. Usually I come to the conclusion that our feelings must be based in fear. I know this has been, and still is, true for myself. Growing up I was often scared to push myself and commit to things. The reason? Because I was afraid that my best would fall short; way short of my own expectations.
We are all unique and built in different ways, each with vastly different personality traits – so why does this ‘fear’ affect so many of us? Where does it come from? Society? Media? Family and friends? Ourselves?
Well if the ‘fear’ is significant enough to prevent you from doing what you love, then it needs dealing with. But how? The recipe for freeing yourself from the ‘fear’ is pretty straightforward in principle, but putting it into practice is another thing altogether. Women seem to be talking about their fears, and how they deal with them, more and more these days, but I still don’t hear us guys talking about it anywhere near as much as we really need to (not one of our strengths I know).
Here are a few simple tips that have worked for me, together with some FREE resources that will hopefully help inspire and motivate you to move forward towards realising some of your dreams:
- Slow down and make time: if you’re always rushing from one thing to the next, trying to get through your neverending to-do list and outwardly multitask with confidence, whilst inside wondering when the spinning plates are going to come crashing down, maybe you need to pause, reflect and re-prioritise .
FREE resources – Zen for Ten and Making Time will encourage you to get back to basics, enjoy the simple things and think about what really matters to you.
- Immerse yourself in the world you are interested in, and find, a community of like-minded people there. Their positivity and energy will boost you up and make you realise what is possible. You may also be amazed what you can accomplish when you are not surrounded by the naysayers.
FREE resources – Alchemy and L.E.A.P – two fantastic resources that will help show you what is possible when you change your mindset.
- Plan! My God, if I didn’t plan my days I am not sure I would make it past breakfast, especially with two small daughters keeping me on my toes. Planning in time every day to do something – however small – in the direction of your dream, adds up to big strides over time. Trying to visualise every step can be daunting, but breaking it into smaller manageable steps allows us to find direction, movement and most importantly momentum.
FREE resource – New Year’s Revolution – a practical toolkit to help you spend more time doing what you love.
Let’s just consider those two very different responses I mentioned at the beginning of this post for a second…
- “Wow, that sounds cool…I need that”
Yes it is cool to do what you love. For me, to have found something as rewarding as being able to help people improve their lives has been one of the highlights of the past five years. Life is short. How can doing what you don’t love be a better, happier choice than doing what you do love?And yet, this doesn’t mean it is an easier life. I can honestly say I have never worked so hard. But I certainly don’t mind, as the motivation behind my actions is in line with what I believe.
There is also a misconception that you should be ‘doing what you love’ at work. Not necessarily. If you have a job you love then great, but you might have a job that provides for you and your family and allows you time to follow your passions. It really is an equation that has to fit you and you alone.
2.“But then, not many of us can… We all have jobs to do, don’t we?”
Yes, the truth is most of us do need to earn money to pay the bills, but there are thousands of ways to do that. In today’s connected world there are more opportunities than ever to have a flexible lifestyle, such as negotiating some remote working time, starting your own business, learning something new or sharing your expertise with the world by teaching online. And if none of those suit your particular situation, there are always ways to free up more time and prioritise even a small amount of money to do what you love outside work too.
Sounds like it’s [Tweet “time for a lifestyle spring clean.”] Are you in?
Until next time,
Mr K.
Tree 111. Bay Tree. Chiavari, Italy. I bloody love this tree. Such beautiful shapes of intricate interwoven curls, pulsing out from the centre to gather the light. Image credit: Jacob Parish.