Find A Way
Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
–Howard Thurman
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This one by Thurman is one of my all-time favorite inspiring quotes.
Yet each time I see it I can’t help but also feel a little sad too. Because of my work supporting people in career transition, I see this quote and think of all the times I’ve asked people what they’d REALLY like to be doing and then hear their depressing, “no can do” answers.
After more than two decades in the career business, I’m pretty sure I’ve heard it all, especially things like no one wants to hire me to do what I really want to do, I can’t make any money doing it, I’d be laughed out the door when I propose it, I tried it and it didn’t work out, I’m too old, I’m too inexperienced, I’m too broke, etc.
Just fill in the blank with whatever depressing, “no can do” statement you’d like – my answer will be the same. There’s always a way, even if you don’t get paid for it. And just because you don’t get paid now, it doesn’t mean you won’t ever.
People with the greatest minds who have made great contributions to our society got laughed at, failed, didn’t get paid at first for their dream, were old when they started over, were inexperienced because they were pioneers, didn’t have any money, etc., but they figured out a way anyway.
Albert Einstein’s teacher thought he daydreamed too much and predicted he’d never amount to anything!
Ray Croc started McDonald’s at age 52. Hey, maybe you’re not into fast food, so you think the Big Mac isn’t much of a contribution to our society, but then I would say think again. (http://www.rmhc.org)
Henry Ford figured out what the world needed (and what made himself come alive) by studying the way meat processing was done and adapted the methods as an assembly line to build automobiles. He didn’t wait for a market survey to tell him that he should or shouldn’t do it. In fact, inventors of the automobile were laughed at because no one thought they’d catch on and replace the good ole horse and buggy.
Can you just imagine what people must have thought of those crazy Wright brothers playing around down on the beach in Kitty Hawk, thinking that they could make their contraption fly?
When people are enthusiastic about what they do, they are simply more attractive to those who might be willing to buy in… whether that is during an interview with a prospective employer to get hired or during an interview with an angel investor to get an idea funded.
What makes you come alive? Figure it out if you haven’t already… and then find a way to do it. The world needs more aliveness energy, not more depressing, “no-can-do” energy.
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Angela Loëb is into self-development… learning it, teaching it, and supporting others who do too.
More at http://angelaloeb.com
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