Welcome to all new subscribers.  It's good to have you on board.

Announcement

I am very excited.  Tomorrow (Tuesday, March 10), I will be on my way to Philadelphia to spend five jam-packed days in the company of 19 incredibly bright, motivated people along with Michael Port and his team becoming a certified Book Yourself Solid coach.   Book Yourself Solid is a highly effective, easy and reliable marketing system for service professionals, especially ones who hate marketing and selling.

So, in addition to helping people lead uncommonly successful lives in the area of career and work/life balance, I will be working with service professionals to create "uncommonly successful" businesses with more clients than they can handle.  I will be writing a lot more about this when I get back from Philly, so stay tuned.

Choosing a career you are passionate about

To prepare for the training, I have been re-reading Michael's book, Book Yourself Solid.  In the second chapter, he talks about how important it is for people in service businesses to only work in an area that they are passionate about.  Why?  Because when you are doing something that you are passionate about with people who are a joy to work with, you will feel excited and energized and you will do your best work.

Well, this same principle applies to choosing a career.  If you choose a job or career based on where you think the jobs are or what you think you "should" do or how much prestige or money comes with the job, how long do you think you will feel excited and energized about doing the work?  How long will it take for every day feel like the "same old same old"?  And what quality of work are you going to do if that's how you feel about your job?

However, if you choose work that you are passionate about, then you look forward to every day (well, almost every day), you do excellent work because it matters to you and you reap the rewards, tangible and intangible.

"But, how do I know what I am passionate about?  If I knew, I probably would already be doing it."  To help you to determine that, spend some time answering the following questions.  Don't skim through them, but take the time to dig deep inside to see what is lurking there.

1. During what sort of tasks do you find that you lose track of time?
2. What type of work does (or did) your friends and family say you'd be great at?
3. What work activity gives you energy?
4. What do you feel is your calling?
5. Was there a time in your life when you were discouraged from doing a career you loved?
6. What are you passionate about?  A cause?  A sport? An art of craft? Helping people?
7. What hobbies do you have?
8. What do you love doing more than anything else?
9. What do you want to be remembered for?
10. What are the things you do that bring you the most enjoyment?  The most satisfaction?
11. If you didn't have to worry about money, how would you spend your time?
12. What did you want to be when you grew up?  (call your family and friends and ask them if you don't know)
13. What dream did you put on hold or push aside or keep procrastinating about?
14. If your life was ending, what would you regret not choosing as a career path?
15. When you look back, who do you see?  Who are you now?  Who are you becoming?  Who do you want to be?

Take some time to examine your answers to these questions and see what patterns emerge.  Share your answers with people who know you well and ask them what they see that you are missing.  Of course, you should always share them with you coach.