Is your work zapping your passion these days? Do you feel experienced, but bored?
I know I can do this, but do I want to?
This is the key question. So many of us do things because that’s the road we are on. If you are going to change things, you need to decide to get off that road.
It’s a positive choice you have to make. If things don’t change, they’ll stay as they are.
Asking yourself “do I want to” enables a powerful mindset shift. It moves you from the passive (business as usual) to the active (which way shall I go?). And you’ll notice that it’s also a question.
This question works in a great many situations.
Try it on your job: I can do this job, but do I want to?
Try in on your relationship: I can stay in this relationship, but do I want to?
Try it on your body: I can be the same shape next year, but do I want to?
Humans rely a lot on automatic pilot. We start out along a way of being and we will continue along that way UNLESS something causes us to move off that path.
Sometimes it’s an external factor, like a change of management at work that causes you to see your job future in an unfavourable way that prompts you to update your CV and start looking.
But, if nothing dramatic happens it is likely that we stay on the same path, for years or decades.
This question allows us to create a checkpoint for ourselves. To create an event forcing us to reconsider the way things are going and make decision.
It is powerful.
An Action to Take Right Now
Take 5 minutes right now to ask this question of yourself: I know I can … but do I want to … ?. Which area of your life comes immediately to mind?
I know I can … but do I want to … ?
The answer could be a voice in our mind saying yes or no, but it could also be a feeling. You might feel your energy rise, some excitement, a feeling of “oh, yeah”. Or you might feel a heaviness, your shoulders slump, your heart sinks … “ugh …”.
And remember, it is perfectly okay; whatever response you discover is fine.
If you are happy with your answer – nothing needs to shift. If you are not happy, you may know what to do next. Or you may not. And again, either is fine.
What would it be like to LOVE being at work? What if “work” didn’t feel like work at all?
I have a 10-minute, free self-assessment tool that you can use to check in with how you feel about various aspects of your life. Take a look here. https://neillawsoncoaching.com/career-and-life-assessment/
