“Everything around you that you call life was made up by people no smarter than you. And you can change it; you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use.
Steve Jobs
And the minute you understand that you can poke life and actually something will, you know if you push in, something will pop out the other side, that you can change, that you can mould.
That’s maybe the most important thing, is to shake off this erroneous notion that life is there and you’re just going to live in it versus embrace it, change it, improve upon it, make your mark upon it.”
Do you sit back and let life happen to you? Or do you go out and make things happen?
I have spent much of my early professional life as the former option. I was just going along for the ride. Just cruising steadily and taking the opportunities as they presented themselves. But it was passive. I wasn’t making my own opportunities.
I was taking the easy options as they were “comfortable”. I didn’t want to rock the boat. However, I wasn’t exactly happy or fulfilled. It was ok, but it didn’t feel right.
Have you ever felt things were a bit mediocre?
Do you know you are capable of so much more?
More recently, I have been choosing the latter option of making things happen. I’ve been trying to play an active role in determining who I want to be and where I want to go. I am consciously trying to make it happen.
Boy, does it feel good! Although it’s a very challenging and rocky road, so far it’s been much more invigorating and rewarding. I feel like I have a new lease on life now that I am pursuing something more meaningful and trying to make a real difference in others’ lives. It’s nice to break off the shackles of being a replaceable cog in a big machine. Instead do something that only I can do, based off of my unique interests and life experience.
For the moment, I am following my interests and curiosity on a path that feels more right. I’m taking action towards something I want. Rather than just existing on a path already laid out by someone else. It’s great to feel more like “me”.
The big change
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted us all. The economic downturn led to the loss of my job.
Although tragic at first, it was a blessing in disguise. It gave me the space to reflect on where I was going in my life and what else could be possible. I decided to embrace the change and turn it into an opportunity rather than dwell on what was.
This shift in mindset gave me the confidence to leap into something new. I probably wouldn’t have done this while protected by the security of a comfortable job. After all, why rock the boat.
The whole experience has opened my eyes to the reality that we have this power to change things at any time. However, we create this unhelpful narrative in our head of all the reasons why we can’t change. It limits our potential.
We don’t have to wait for a global pandemic and recession to force our hand. If you know you’re not happy and something isn’t working out, why wait? Why suffer? We have this one precious life, so why not take action now? It doesn’t have to be a dramatic change like I had forced upon me. You can start small. Get curious. Think about what would be a great life on your terms.
Start taking steps to make it happen. Make a change to improve things.
Reflection
- I recognise that I have the power to change the things that aren’t working out.
- What would a path of meaning look like for me?
- What is one thing I can do today to improve my current situation?