Monday, September 21, 2015
Live you dream.
Too many of us just followed a path that has lead us into a job that pays the bills. But I believe we can, with effort, find a way to follow our dreams.
Real leaders, when faced with adversity, find a new path. When some problem appears in the path they build a bridge, tunnel under, or drive around. The other option is to sit down and feel sorry for ourselves, but that leads to mediocre.
I met a gentleman recently who is pursuing his dream to become an actor. He is 35 and for 20 years followed the safe path and became a teacher. His parents, and society, told him the "safe" was a better way for a family man. While he wants to continue to provide for his wife and kids, he does not want to grow old with regrets. He looked up a few months ago and decided he had to try. He took his first acting class six weeks ago and tomorrow has a call-back for a major television commercial.
This guy is my hero.
Waiting and wishing is not going to get anyone to their dream. Actions are the key. You have to lead, even if you have no followers. Being a leader has nothing to do with others, one has to lead themselves first. To get to live your passion you have to do the things that bring you closer to your goals.
Do something. You need not succeed all at once, but you have to build momentum. Know what you desire and find small things that can help you get clear about how to go for your future with real intention.
Bad things happen along the way. Everyone faces adversity and the best people get knocked down along the way. It is not what happens, but how you respond to situations that sets up the future.
I write this blog post in September 2015 as Carly Fiorina rises in the polls in the Republican Presidential Primary races (this is not political support for Ms Fiorina). She was let go from Hewlett-Packard in one of the most public CEO firings in history, lost a daughter to drugs, failed in a bid for the US Senate. And yet today she is running for president, and gaining traction. She did not get here by accident.
Opponents focus on our failings.... but many who are at the top have dealt with hard times. Harvey Mackay wrote a book in 2008 called "We Got Fired" where he profiled the most successful people in our society who had bounced back from very public failings. I love this book as it is a reminder that we just get up and forge a new path to the top.
The people I admire get over disappointment quickly and create something new.
Have A Great Day