Do you want your tombstone to read, “He tolerated stuff for other people because they paid him.” ?

Why would you want to spend your life doing stuff that you that you can just tolerate, working for people you don’t like? Especially, when you realize that you can make more money doing work that engages your passions.  (David Maister, author of Practice What You Preach, in FAST COMPANY May 2002.)

Last night, as I talked with a friend who’s contemplating a job change, I was reminded of this excerpt from a presentation made by my coach, John Agno, about developing your Life Signature  Most of the conversation with this friend centered around what she didn’t like and didn’t want to do in her current position.

What if she reversed her thoughts? What if she focused on WHO she is?  What her strengths are, what her vision for her life is, her core values, etc.? What if she explored WHAT is important to her? What if she began to identify opportunities to express who she is within what she does?  I’m guessing that by taking this alternative approach to career search, she would experience completely different results.

So many people start their career search because they are in some kind of pain.  They experience some dissatisfaction or discomfort.  But they often remain in the pain by focusing on what they don’t like vs. what they do like.  What they don’t have vs. what they do have.  What they are expected to be vs. who they really are.  And no surprise, the law of attraction keeps bringing them more of the same.

What can you do successfully transition?  Start by exploring who you are.  Not sure how to do that?  Have a conversation with a coach. Check out resources developed to help you make a meaningful transition. But whatever you do, start with WHO you are and let that lead you to the next logical step in having the career and life of your dreams.