Are You Here to Change the World?

"I am in the world to change the world."
- Muriel Rukeyser

I have found myself lately in a very transitionary place in life, both professionally and personally, and it is during these times I find it most important to question the direction things are going. I think an important thing to consider when addressing these questions is to answer a bigger question, are you in the world to change the world or to just play along? This factor alone could influence your decisions greatly. Another way to look at it is, what do you want to get out of it? Are you the type of person that wants to be responsible for what changes and see it through or are you just trying to make the most out of what's presented to you? Work and life transitions might not always be instigated by you, but you can still help control the outcome if you know what you want.

As I mentioned in my last blog post, my two week vacation gave me some time to see where I'm needed the most in the company and it helped me work harder toward making it a reality once I returned. There are often excuses on why something isn't going the way you plan, but it's ultimately still up to you to make it happen. Much of the motivation to make things happen will come from deciding what you really want out of the transition and making your decisions based on that outcome. We may often underestimate how one small decision can affect a much larger goal, so it's important to keep what you want top of mind.

Being a business owner for the past 10 years, I instinctively operate life in general as though I am in this world to change the world. That's what it takes in business to stay ahead of the competition and make things happen. In your personal life, however, it's important to figure out whether or not the same applies. I find sometimes that constantly trying to achieve that next step adds a level of intensity that may make it difficult to enjoy where you're at today. For me, it may be time to set aside some of the to-do lists at home and just focus on the things at hand. I'm not saying to give up on everything you're trying to accomplish, but if you have to write it down on a list, maybe it's not really that important. Sometimes you may just need to wait for what feels like the right time, rather than trying to control every aspect to make something happen.