EMBRACING CHANGE AND FINDING PASSION IN WHAT YOU DO

I find too often when I speak to people about their careers that they are unhappy and wish that they were doing something else.

So of course I ask the inevitable question "Why haven't you?" 

There are multiple excuses - "I've invested too much in what I'm doing," "I'll wait, maybe things will change," "I need the money, and if I go somewhere else, who knows what will happen," and my favourite "I'm too old."

If you think back on your life and when you've talked yourself out of making a change for the better -- what is your canned excuse? 

Personally I believe that all of these excuses can be summarized by one of the sayings in one of my favourite books on change -- Who Moved My Cheese. The question raised is "What would I do if you weren't afraid?"

This summarizes most of our attitudes surrounding change, because change can be scary, but it can also be exhilarating vs. leading a life of quiet desparation.

We tend to let our own doubts and those other nay-sayers (parents, spouse, and sometimes friends) give us the reasons to abandon the change. But ask yourself -- Are you Happy?

What is it that can create passion in your life? What is it that when you were young you wanted to pursue, or even a passion you have found along the way?

Define it and own it. You don't have to abandon your day job (at least not right away) to start creating a roadway to get you to embracing this direction. 

Wouldn't it be great to get up every morning and believe that you are doing something that is significant? That you can't wait to do? 

Too many of us have over the years been caught up in the pursuit of personal wealth, because that is how the external world often judges us. But if you didn't need to worry about money -- say, if you won the lottery -- once you made the requisite purchases, what would you chose to do?

That is the question you need to ask yourself. 

I remember seeing an interview many years ago with Michael Caine and there was a discussion about regrets. He said ( and I might be paraphrasing a bit here), "I would prefer to die regretting the things I've done as opposed to those that I have not."

That comment has stuck with me for many years now. So question yourself -- what is holding you back -- and what will you regret not having done when you are on your deathbed?