| |
| |
|
Attraction Information |
|
|
|
Etch a Sketch or Oil Painting: Where Do You Need to Take a Stand?
Maybe can be a great place. It's full of possibility, it can feel like there's an escape hatch available at all times. Maybe can also be what holds us back the most. Take the Etch A Sketch, for example. One of my favorite childhood toys. Full of temporary satisfaction, and a great place to play with maybe. Sometimes we get stuck in the Etch A Sketch place in our lives, carefully keeping one eye on the exit. Etch A Sketch life is a great place to try things on: dating without commitment; temping at a job; renting instead of buying; testing a business instead of truly owning it; dabbling at being leader without claiming it. It can be a valuable place-a testing ground on which to get a sense of what it might be like. There are deeper Etch A Sketch places, too. I often hear from clients that their number-one frustration is that they feel as though they're not making an impact-or at least that impact isn't palpable. They feel as though they're in the soup in their jobs and lives and that there's no distinct footprint they're leaving behind. They are in the Etch A Sketch place of making daily transitory impressions, but nothing long lasting-there's no momentum of purpose. And they're hungry for it. Next comes the oil painting stage. What's scarier (and more exciting) than standing in front of a big white canvas with a tube of oil paint and a brush? You can't shake a canvas and make the picture disappear. It's there in three-dimensional color-beauty, imperfection, ugliness, permanence. There's boldness in putting oil on canvas. There is a place of taking a stand. It's visible. It claims space. No matter what is depicted on the canvas, painting is bold. What's the place in your life that has been Etch A Sketch too long? Where are you ready to switch to oils? Here are some examples I've seen: A bright, energetic, hard-working IT middle manager feeling as though there were no options for her at her large company after eight years of slow progress. Frustrated and ready to quit. A successful, highly compensated coder in the financial world who couldn't care less about the field after six years. Bored and ready to quit. Both had carefully preserved the land of maybe. They were not committed to their current jobs, although they continued to do good work. But they were not committed to finding the better path, either. They were going to work every morning and writing in the Etch A Sketch of life. Shaking it blank and leaving to go home every night. What does oil painting look like to them? The bright, energetic IT middle manager decided to quit dabbling in leadership and really claim it. She started carrying herself differently in meetings-speaking up more and taking risks about what she said. She became aware of her body language-she took up space instead of being invisible in the hallways and in groups. She started treating the people at the level above her as peers, rather than being deferential and quiet. She set up ongoing dialogues with the CIO and developed a relationship with him. She voiced a vision about where the IT department could go and was clear about how she wanted to play a leadership role in that vision. She took a stand. She voiced what she wanted and stood ready to step into it. She was courageous. The result: She became seen and heard by her company and they created a new position for her. She got more money, more prestige, more opportunities. She was even asked to sit on the board of directors of a company. She's flexing her leadership muscle and loving it. She's painting in oils. The highly compensated coder also started taking risks. He wanted to claim the space of risk-taking. He bought an apartment building in New York City. Took a real estate course and exam and gave notice to his employer. He traded in short-term security and cash for a longer-term vision. He intends to do many things, including starting a school for English as a Second Language and being an honest, friendly real estate broker. He wants his day-to-day life to be rich with quality, fun, learning, and adventure. He took a stand and claimed faith in himself. Faith in his ability to navigate ambiguous waters. He's painting in oils and loving it. For these two, taking a stand evolved over different lengths of time. The IT middle manager took five months to claim her leadership. The coder spent nearly two years taking small steps at various levels of the process. For some, a big leap of dramatic, death-defying proportions is the only way to wake up. It's move or die. For others, purposefully moving forward can be a dance slowly increasing in tempo...a cha cha from Etch A Sketch to oils. Which is comfortable for you? If you're already painting in oils in one part of your life, what's the next part that's ready? Where are you ready to take a stand? -Elizabeth McAloon, CPCC Elizabeth McAloon, CPCC
MORE RESOURCES:
Attraction - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How To Become Insane Somebody once said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result. Optimal mental health, then, may include adapting your approach if you don't get the result you want. The Big Secret "Within you is the power to change your life"Lately I've been doing a lot of radio interviews promoting the release of my new book, Handbook to a Happier Life. During several interviews the host remarked that "Handbook" is a pretty simple book. 7 Ways To Make a Great First Impression When you have an important event to attend there are 7 great ways to make sure you perform at your very best. These tips are relevant for social events and business meetings. Change Your Association Do you know any people who seem to attract bad luck?I had a friend years ago that just could not seem to get it together. He was in and out of jobs, had poor relationships, had no money, and had a bad attitude. Is There Something Called Free Will The statement ""The concept of free will is a fallacy"" is actually fallacious! How do you live your life? of course you live with free will. You decide what to eat for breakfast, what to wear today and so on. What Next? When we are faced with making a change we often feel like we don't know what to do. The kicker is that USUALLY we do know what to do - it just happens to scare us a little bit. A Story Of Unbelievable Persistence Dick and Jay sat on the ground outside the shed. The rain pelted down on them. Top 10 Keys to Attracting More Clients! It's always easier to attract the things we want in life than to chase them down and catch them. My grandmother used to say, "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. How to Be Irresistible to Women You don't need a guitar, rock-hard abs, or even a full head of hair to make a great impression on a woman. Follow these tips, and she'll want to hear from you again real soon:1. Who Do You Think You Are? Are you totally in love with your life?Whatever your current situation I want to give you some food for thought?Your current level of love, passion and intensity for your everyday life is directly proportionate to how close you currently live to the purpose for which you came to this life.Take an office worker. Coping As A Caregiver Few people are prepared for the responsibilities and tasks involved in caring for loved ones who are ill, elderly, or disabled. The success of the relationship between you and your loved one depends on several factors. Life Focus: What Does Your Life Say? "Imagine a funeral. The preacher's giving the eulogy. Rising Above the Average There is nothing more motivating than reading a story about someone who comes from a poor, difficult life and rises above it to do so much with their life. Reading about a person who had so many obstacles in their way and they overcame them to be the most incredible people. Five Ways To Create On Purpose By Living In The Moment What can you do to really immerse yourself into living more consciously every day? "We look backward too much and we look forward too much; thus we miss the only eternity of which we can be absolutely sure - the eternal present, for it is always now." - William Phelps 1 - NOW is the only moment that matters. The Joy Of Living In The Zone What do people want most in the world? What is the most sought-after goal? From the moment we awaken to the moment we close our eyes at night, what is it we seek every minute of the day?We want to feel good. The primary motivation behind every action we take is the desire to feel happy. Secret of Wealth "Before I had a lot of money, I was really quite happy," said Oprah Winfrey. "And I will tell you this--you may not believe it--I never would have gotten the money if I wasn't happy to begin with. Law-of-Attraction Article: Wake Up and Create Something It's time for the "mainstream" to WAKE UP. The alarm clock is ringing, they keep hitting snooze, and in the meantime, the life they could be living is passing them by. It Doesnt Take Long To Become An Expert in The Law of Attraction One of our Faculty, Christine Edick, has been the keynote speaker for several conferences for people in the 'career transition' industry. She received this short story, from one of the attendees, which demonstrates how easy it is to understand the Law of Attraction and to teach it to others. How to be Successful in Life or Small Business! Not everyone is programmed to be a successful businessperson, many people make it but many more fail along the way.A large part of your future success will depend on your P. Other Peoples Opinions In a society where interaction is part of everyday life, and other people form a vital part of life, other people's opinions are actually important in where we fit into society. However, we often think we know what other people are thinking and base our actions around those 'apparent' opinions.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
