July 22, 2013

Step Away from the Phone: 11 Ways to Make it Happen Yourself. ~ Michelle Welsch

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There’s no need to wait by the phone.

The call from HR, that letter from the publisher, your one big chance—it doesn’t need to be part of your plan.

We’re at a point in time we have the opportunity to put ourselves into the game and make things happen. You can be the star of your own show.

The difficult part is deciding to begin.

The journey from Point A to Point B can be a daunting one. We come up with excuses upon excuses—paralyzing ourselves from action. Instead, we decide that toeing the mark and playing it safe is the best option.

It’s easy to view the Amanda Palmers and the Jerry Weintraubs in a category separate from our own: “They have more talent. I couldn’t do what she did. I have a family to support. He has all the right connections. She had nothing to lose.”

While you’re clocking hours at your nine-to-five job and spinning fantasies of a different life, there are folks out there creating the life of their dreams. Stop waiting for something to happen and give your own adventure a chance.

11 ideas to get you started:

1. Write. Set aside time to ask questions, dream, and think big. Put your phone on silent and set an alarm 20 minutes out.

2. Find a mentor. Schedule a 15-minute phone call with someone you admire. Ask about their daily schedule, where they find inspiration and what keeps them motivated.

3. Walk. Go outside for 40 minutes. Do not bring your phone. Let your mind wander—the best ideas rarely happen when you’re sitting at a desk.

4. Channel your inner impresario. Organize an afterwork meet-up or a social gathering and invite speakers who inspire you. Orchestrate a community potluck and recruit guests to moderate discussion.

5. Become an entrepreneur. Look for a project to take on. Is there something unaddressed at your current workplace? Find an open opportunity and tackle it. Challenge yourself to speak up in your next meeting by posing a provocative question or providing a new example to share. Make the effort to actively participate.

6. Pitch yourself. That Thing you’ve always wanted to start, create, produce? Sell yourself on it.

7. Lunch and learn. Have lunch with a colleague you don’t know very well. Ask questions about their work and job responsibilities. Find out which aspects of their work excite them.

8. Surprise someone. Add unexpected meaning to someone’s day. Call for no particular reason, leave a card for them to discover, or gift them something thoughtful.

9. Book a vacation. You don’t have to spend a fortune. Go away for the weekend or plan a day trip. Take a tent to the mountains. Break from your day-to-day and surround yourself with something different.

10. Write a letter to your hero. Compose a letter to your role model—the person whose life you most admire. You don’t have to send it; use it as an exercise to more clearly define your wants and desires. Or send it and see what happens.