We’re all looking for that one thing…
The one thing that will make everything alright. For some of us, that’s more money, for others it’s prestige. Some prefer the quiet life free from stress, others want power.
In the end, it comes down to one thing – happiness.
That’s what we are all seeking, that is the elusive dream for most people.
If you’re anything like who I used to be just a short time ago then each morning, you wake up, eat breakfast, and head out the door to work. Unfortunately, for many people, that’s not a good thing.
It’s anything but stress-free. As most people will tell you, it’s actually very stressFUL.
The truth of the matter is, most people I know don’t love their job. They do it because they have to, not because they want to. However, as I learned, there is nothing written anywhere that it has to stay that way.
8 years ago I made a decision that changed my life. I decided to take a chance.
I wasn’t willing to risk it all but I did want to see just what I could do. I went into business with a partner to build something special, but in a short period of time I realized just how little we both knew and I made the decision to get educated.
That was the turning point for me because it opened my eyes to the possibilities that life has to offer and I haven’t looked back since.
I went from being an English teacher with no qualifications (although I did graduate from one of the famous Claremont Colleges) to who I am today; an entrepreneur who believes in sharing valuable content with the world. In many ways I feel like I’m in college majoring in
- Personal development from such legends as Tony Robbins, Brendon Burchard and Zig Ziglar
- Marketing from such big names as Jay Abraham and Frank Kern
- Finance from billionaires and millionaires
Plus a minor in time management. And guess what? I’m happy. REALLY happy.
It’s not always easy taking that leap of faith that everything will be ok, but sometimes you have to. I have seen stress get the better of many people so it’s always wise to have a back-up plan in case your job doesn’t work out. The problem is schools, colleges and universities seem to overlook the fact that the world has changed. No longer are we guaranteed a job for life. And even if we get our “dream” job we quickly realize just how different the real world is. Sometimes our dreams can become nightmares.
That’s why I’m a big believer in doing something you enjoy.
Now that might not be what you really want to do, but you need to find something that you can handle doing for years and earn a good living at.
There are a lot of starving artists out there following their dreams, but starving isn’t any fun. There are also a lot of people making good salaries that simply hate what they do; and if you hate what you do it’ll carry over into every part of your life, not just work.
I’m one of the lucky people who is passionate about what he does. I run an English school, share success ideas through this site and do a financial seminar…and I love it all.
It took me 6 years of late night reading and lunch break studying to become an expert in fields I had never had any interest in before.
I found something I liked, and then went to work becoming good at it. I’m still at it in fact.
Today, a client canceled his coaching call so a 3-hour block of time freed itself up; some people might use that time to watch a movie or chat with friends. Me? I’ll be working on an hour and a half marketing presentation that has my name written all over it.
Before that though I’ll do my yoga while watching a new show I’ve been meaning to watch.
As a young kid fresh into the business world I had one skill; English teaching. Today I’m passionate about much more than that. I’m passionate about changing lives and that’s why I do what I do.
It is my wish that we all find something to be passionate about. Because passion is the x-factor (the burning hot coals of desire) when it comes to success and something quite rare.
Look for passionate teachers, look for passionate speakers, look for passionate friends…passion people make all the difference in how your life turns out.
Now if you’re curious how I came up with today’s topic, take a look at the clip below. For two years Marina Shifrin sacrificed her relationships, time and energy for a job she didn’t love. Now she’s free and you can tell. Enjoy the video.
Adrian Shepherd