Passion Can Not Wait
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
― Walt Disney
There is nothing more freeing than watching the birth of a new child, paying the last stroke of a masterpiece, or having a miraculous realization about our vision to life.
A friend of mine had reached out to me last week needing my coaching questions. We got on the phone and she vented her anger. She had worked as a project manager in a big cosmetic company for many years. She had a team of people whom she got to lead. She had been successful in generating high sales in her department every year. She quit about three years ago in pursuit of her passion; the life she wants to live.
She had worked on a project for a very long time before she quit her previous job. Recently she was stuck and confused about her next step. Passion is what makes us jump out of our beds every morning feeling motivated and go to sleep at night feeling fulfilled.
And this is where many of us failed to see, the opposite of our fear is not the absence of fear, but instead is the love for what we do. Passion is the antidote of your fear.
My friend and I had been coaching each other from time to time since both of us are still fairly new to starting out on launching our own business. Contrary to the popular belief that “You are an expert in fear, you’re probably not afraid of anything! You seem to be very courageous.” Truth be told, I am not a stranger to fear. I hear my fear all the time and so does everyone in this world. My friend and I are no exceptions.
My friend called me that night told me that she went back and pull out this project she had worked on before she left her last job, and she realized THIS IS THE PROJECT I WAS CALLED TO DO. The vision of how this project was going to play out; who she will be helping and how is this going to help her generate her revenues. It was all right in front of her. She was quite upset, and angry at herself for not taking action steps sooner to make this vision real.
Here is a reality check for you.
“If you don’t know where to go, start by where you are.”
This reminded me of another client of mine and the story that was going on in her head was “I lost my job, and my boyfriend wants to move and he wants us to be in Texas in 10 years. I think I should think about my future and what I want to do. He is tired of me not being motivated and inspired. I know I should. But I just can’t! I can’t see myself in 10 years. I just don’t know….help!”
Now imagine each of these feelings and thoughts we experience and cave into fear is a bar we put up around us. Each made of metal. The stronger you believe they are true, the stronger it will hold up for you. We surround ourselves with these bars around us each time we come up with an idea that is unsupportive, negative, self-judging.
Sooner or later you will find yourself behind these walls of metal rods, you’ve cornered yourself in a prison. No wonder we feel powerless, hopeless, scare, and lost.
Like many businesses around the country beginning to reopen after the lockdown, many people are finding themselves in a new territory. They may have lost a job, about to lose a job, or in the process of looking for a job. Life is rapidly evolving at the rate that it can be difficult for many to have time to adapt to these new changes.
Exactly how do you change all that? What do you do when you have practically lost everything and don’t know where to go?
Step 1:
Give yourself permission to grieve.
Take time to heal from the fresh wound. You don’t need to get over something in order to get back.
Step 2:
Reestablish your routine.
What was your routine before all things changed? Re-establish your routine and maintain a modified version of what is considered as normalcy to you.
Step 3:
Set up short term achievable goals.
Things you can do today. Tomorrow. This week. Not sure where to start? Start where you are.
Are these easier say than done? Yes! Absolutely! I am not going to lie. They are absolutely difficult and maybe even impossible. But there’s a reason why they call it a practice. You do something consistently until it becomes the air you breathe.
This is how you get going.
And for some of you who do choose to pursue your passion and dream, the only question I asked her was “Why now?” Why is now the time for this? Why not a year earlier? Or a year later? Why is it now? Why is this idea of taking action matters to you now?
This is the same question I have asked many prospects before they sign up sessions with me. “Why now?” Why are you compelled to take action now? What is different for you?
Maybe it hasn’t been and that’s why you are stuck. So then why now is an important question to ask ourselves if we are looking for commitment. If your answer is “It doesn’t have to be now.” than what I am hearing is “I am not ready yet.”
Change can only take place when we are called upon to take action. And in order to overcome the fear, you have to begin to turn your ideas into actions.
My friend is committed to make her vision a dream come true. She is now more clear than ever this is the birth of her child.
What vision do you have in life?
Why now is a good time to do it?
Warmly,
Michelle
Michelle Kuei, Pharm.D., ACC, CPC, ELI-MP
Author. Life Coach. Speaker.
ICF Associate Certified Coach
Certified Professional Coach
Certified Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner
Certified Cor.E Transitions Dynamic Specialist
WomanSpeak Circle Leader
Doctor of Pharmacy
Flaws are what make us human. Accepting our flaws and forgiving ourselves for our mistakes and reconciling those conflicting parts of ourselves is crucial to our health and happiness. -Michelle Kuei, “Perfectly Normal: An Immigrant’s Story Of Making It In America”
