The world is all gates, all opportunities, strings of tension waiting to be struck. – Emerson
“Hold, please….” Making a call recently, I got put on hold, and the thought occurred to me:
How much time do we all spend in some version of “hold” in our lives?
Waiting for someone or something to come on the proverbial line: the “right” job, “right” partner, “right” situation. Or waiting for someone else to give us “the” answer – their insight, opinion or critique of our situation.
The problem is that we can wait our whole lives for “the” “right” answer or circumstance – always seeking, never satisfied.
And while all do-gooders I work with value excellence, it doesn’t mean it has to drive us crazy through a quest for unattainable perfection.
Because I’ve found that the answer is usually present now, and within ourselves and our experience, rather than out there, in the future or residing in others’ expertise.
If you sense you are on hold somewhere in your life or career, try this:
1) What’s your dream, your vision, your best case scenario? Write it down, or draw it out. It’s easier to get where you are going if you know what you want to be heading towards.
2) Tune into your inner critic – but not too much. What’s the persistent nagging voice in your head that stops you from moving forward? If you could hear just the 2% truth in its comments, what’s the piece of that information you could use and harness to help you move forward?
3) Generate some gratitude. What can you be grateful for right now in your life or work? What is already exactly as it needs to be?
4) Just forget about it. Imagine you never did what you long to do. What little part of you might die a little bit if you left yourself on hold, forever? Let yourself feel that, for a bit. What does that tell you?
5) Say no. What do you need to eliminate, stop tolerating, say no to, to get you closer to your dream?
6) Take one small step. What is one small thing you could do this week that could move you closer to your vision; honor the 2% truth; amplify what is already going well; or what you need to stop doing? Decide what it will be, and commit to it by writing it the comments below. Do it, and let me know what happens!
Your turn
In the Comments below, I’d love to hear from you. Where are you on hold in your life? What’s the one small step that you’ll take this week?
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Editor’s note: This post was originally published in July 2013 and has been updated for content and relevancy.
Photo credit: iStock
Before specializing as a professional coach in 2004, I spent more than a decade in leadership, management and program development for state and local government and non-profit organizations. Now I get to help leaders and teams have more clarity and ability to stand up for what's important in their work and in their organizations. Working with me, leaders and teams find more meaning and purpose, feel happier and more confident, navigate change and conflict, and work together better.
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