Think As Inc

Ask Big Questions

September 18, 2009 on 8:26 pm | In life coaching | No Comments

I posted an article with CNBC.com recently on asking big questions. 

http://www.cnbc.com/id/27515998

I wrote it because, in today’s turbulent market, there is a risk of getting caught up in the minutiae:  where is the Dow; what is the unemployment rate; which company is next to fold.  But wherever the stock market is or the job market is, our long-term goals should extend beyond these markers and should not be subordinate to them.

If the unemployment rate is 4% or 40%, do you have a job?  For you, unemployment is 0% or 100%.  More importantly, do you have the job you want?  Do you know what you want?  Do you have a plan to get there? 

If the Dow is at 9,000 or 19,000, what part is yours?  Are you saving enough?  Do you feel rich?  Do you have a plan to get comfortable about your finances?

Many of my clients think too big when they execute and too small when they dream.  When we make a career action plan together, with every step they want to see it is leading to a new job.  They want to execute big instead of paying attention to the important small details in-between.  Conversely, when we draw out career and life goals, it’s hard to get them to think beyond what’s feasible in the short-term.  It’s hard to even get them to imagine their ideal life in the future or to talk about their legacy.  Yet, it’s the big dreams that will pull us and make those small steps worthwhile.

Turn off the news.  Look up and see that the sky is not falling.  Allow yourself to see farther into the future than you might be used to.  Then, dream big.