I have never fit in. I’ve always been marching to a slightly different beat. Oh, it may not have been terribly noticeable – I am socially acceptable – but I felt the difference in the choices I made and the areas that drew my interest and my passion.
I get bored with people who are only reminiscing. Give me people who are planning and thinking and visioning of what they can do next. I love to create new projects and I am not suited to simple maintenance once it exists.
I settled for helper jobs when I was in the work force rather than taking the leadership position. Part of that was because I took 16 years out of the work force to raise a family. When I returned to work after a divorce, I had changed and I couldn’t catch up.
What if I had been a man? I was a television personality in my 20’s. What if I had continued to pursue that? A man could have a family and continue his career. Women do it now today to a certain extent – in my day not so much. I love my children and I love my brain. I’m glad I’ve gotten to enjoy both in my lifetime.
You make your own path
When you don’t feel you fit in, when you are not attracted to repeatable tasks in a job, or buck at not being in control of the direction you are being led, you need to go chart your own journey. And that means finding your passion and following it. What do you love to do? What cause touches your heart? What do you value most? What gifts have you been given that you have a burning desire to share? Let your passion and your gifts guide you into your perfect place of service.
What needs fixing that you can change?
Seth Godin has made public his Domino Project in which he is teaming with Amazon to change how books are published. It will eliminate the middle man and because the books will be virtual there is unlimited shelf space unlike book stores. He’s creating new opportunities an area of service that is being forced to change because of new inventions like all the reader platforms. That’s being a thought leader.
What I saw that needed help was the difficulty entrepreneurs continually have sorting out all the ideas that continually spring up in their minds. The hardest part of starting anything new – a business, a book, a course – is in having so many ideas you don’t know where to begin. So I have created a repeatable system that helps you make your best decisions and filter your ideas into the perfect format to reach and teach your target community.
Look around at your target community – those people you have chosen to serve – and see what they need from you that you are willing to provide. Then go make it happen.
Be your own guide
I started to write “be your own boss” until I realized that is a word from being employed and we are taking about the freedom of being unemployed by others. So when you choose this route you have to be your own guide, your own motivator, your own planner, your own leader, your own visionary and inspiration. There is both freedom and responsibly in that. Not everyone wants to take that path, but if that’s you, then that’s the role you have to take.
Join your peers for support
A peer mentor happens organically. I have two and may have found a third. One has been my friend for 12 years – we share similar interests but her expertise is different than mine so she knows things I don’t. The second one I met when we shared a professional training. She is forward thinking and is exploring a similar direction so we share interests. She too knows things I don’t. In both cases we share resources and talk over ideas and coach and encourage each other on our process. Keep an eye out for your own peer mentors.
Follow other thought leaders
The beautiful thing about the internet is the rapid circulation of ideas. Find people in your field who are ahead of you and learn from them. Find people who are thinking ahead, who are challenging what exists and add their ideas to your thinking as you create your own journey.
Being so true to yourself that you are unemployable by others is beautiful. Guiding yourself along your passion is magic.
© 2010 Cara Lumen
