Are you working for someone else’s dream when you have one of your own? For years I did and didn’t like it. In fact it made me crazy sometimes, I even thought myself a coward for not acting!
When reflecting back to that time, I realize I did not have the courage to break out and away from what I perceived as an oppressive, unfulfilling and controlling work environment. A work environment run by people who had their own agendas with little or no motivation or understanding much less concern or regard for how to create the kind of climate that encouraged personal and professional growth.
Yes, I had a dream but I needed a push and thankfully (although I did not know it at the time) it came in the form of a lay-off after 18 years of fighting to keep my head above water, staying afloat in a sea of conformity and mediocrity.
Oh, I don’t know, perhaps more than anything else it was safe, secure even predictable. If I kept my head down and complied, I could last till retirement. But the problem was that it would require me to compromise my values and in the process never have my need for growth and fulfillment met. I could postpone the “need gratification” temporarily but I would not compromise my values, the very essence of who I was….with a push I took the leap and here I am today, doing what it turns out was what my whole life has been leading me too. And quite frankly, looking back I cannot figure out what all the fuss was about!
I believe that I have a pretty unique perspective on how short life can be having traveled a road less traveled and survived, at least for awhile, and can say with much conviction that; “life is too short to be living someone else’s dream.”
The clock is ticking down on your life. Will you look back one day with regret and “what ifs” or with an incredible sense and feeling of accomplishment and gratitude in life for having had the courage, vision and the intestinal fortitude to work like you have never worked before to realize your dream?
Never lose sight of what life is really all about; it’s about the quality of your journey and what it teaches. You should always have a destination in mind before you set out on that journey, but be mindful of the trip and stops along the way, otherwise one’s life becomes no more than a series of random, scattered events that may or may not lead to fulfillment.
Life is about a lot more than experiences repeated, never mind the excuses, what are you waiting for, someone to hand it to you? Fight through your fear, find your courage and chase your dream!
“One extends one’s limits only by exceeding them.” Scott Peck
James Ladd
Your Personal Coach
By: James Ladd
About the Author:
JAMES LADD B.A., C.H.R.P., C.P.I.R. Life & Business Coach, author and speaker, who has without a doubt been down the “Road Less Traveled,” having survived and thrived after a double lung transplant in August of 2003. Jim comes to this place in his incredible life journey with a dynamic combination of work and life experience. Jim worked as an Organizational & Human Resource Development Specialist for over 35 years in the private, public & non-profit sectors and also managed a provincial government employee assistance program serving over 15,000 employees. He has authored and facilitated a wide variety of training programs covering such diverse topics as; managing organizational change, conflict resolution, performance management, managing and/or coping with stress, interviewing & counseling skills, supervisory & management skills. His most recent publication titled; “THE PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION GUIDE: Raising Awareness of Self to Slay the Dragon,” is available through his website. In the community he became an award winning football coach over the course of 25 years (Coach of the Year 3M of Canada, Coach of the Year, Developmental Category, Coaches Assoc. of Manitoba
Related Post:
life is short to work for someone
Posted in 
Tags: