Not the seven-year itch!
I captured the first daybreak of 2021 - Jan 1st. As the sun played hide and seek, I got to enjoy the dappled sunlight filtering through the window and falling on my workstation at home.
The setting shown in the picture has been more or less my ‘place of work’ for the last 7 years except when I am required to be at the client’s site.
January is special to me
You see, I quit corporate life for good in January 2014 after about 30 years of work. It was on Jan 14th, to be precise. Since then I have been an independent Learning & Development Consultant and Coach.
Read here what I wrote on this subject 2 years ago.
Over the last 7 wonderful years of independent work, I have been engaged in a variety of pursuits. As an anniversary approaches, it is only natural to go into a bit of flashback. I wanted to share my journey of 7 years with you using my own original Quotes as anchors.
Before taking the plunge
1. I have always believed in following my heart. This belief has made me take unconventional turns in my career and life because you ‘Do what you love and you will breeze through Life.’ (Quote #173).
2. I have always believed that life offers us alternate paths. ‘Our future need not be an extrapolation of our past. A new turn can lead us to a new future.’ (Quote #113).
3. Risks are an integral part of our career and life. As a rather simplistic definition, ‘Risk is just an intimidating term for a likely undesirable outcome.’ (Quote #108). However, in a VUCA world, where the sands are constantly shifting, it is important to unlearn, learn, and relearn stuff - these are again risks. By the way, in today’s times, ‘Not willing to take risks’ is the new risk.’ (Quote #262).
If you think you are not a risk-taker, read this post of mine here and think again.
4. People who are overcautious are forever waiting for that perfect moment to make their move. My advice would be, ‘Don’t wait. You will never be 100% ready.’ (Quote #344).
5. It is important to step out. The first step matters. ‘Take that first step with courage. The rest will follow.’ (Quote #95). Of course, you should have done a solid reality check of your prospects before taking the plunge.
6. The comfort zone is a trap. It prevents us from discovering who we could truly become. After all, ‘Life’s exciting discoveries are located just outside our comfort zone.’ (Quote #207).
Taking the plunge
7. Once we have finally decided to step out on our own, it is important to not worry about what others think of us. ‘It is astonishing how liberated you can feel if you are not bothered about what others think of you.’ (Quote #81). While we will have well-wishers, there will always be some people in our life who are waiting for us to fail.
8. Once we have taken a decision, we need to own it completely. Because ‘If you take complete responsibility for the consequences of your actions, you will enjoy this sport called life.’ (Quote #242). No blaming anyone, please!
While at it
9. As you challenge your own boundaries and shatter your glass ceiling, only you will know what kind of growth has happened to you as a consequence because ‘No one can really understand the value of your personal triumphs.’ (Quote #200).
10. Many a time, we are surprised by our own capabilities. Serendipity! Because ‘You will have no idea what you are capable of until you try.’ (Quote #183).
11. As you go about your life and work, it is important to know how you will evaluate your success. However, you have to be clear that ‘Success is not what others define for you. It is what you define for yourself.’ (Quote #191).
12. In the Covid-19 scenario, much of my work is coaching - quite understandable given the tumultuous changes the pandemic has caused to organizations, individual careers, and life in general. By the way, I happen to enjoy coaching immensely because of the breakthroughs that a coachee experiences. My role in coaching: ‘Help others see a grander version of themselves and they will be inspired to fill the empty spaces.’ (Quote #17). Also, a coach is an incorrigible optimist because ‘A coach believes in you more than you believe in yourself.’ (Quote #304).
13. I constantly create new goals that challenge me. ‘Chase big goals in life to know what you are capable of.’ (Quote #366).
14. In these 7 years, I have experienced bliss innumerable times – almost on a daily basis. In my language, ‘Bliss is that stage in life when there is absolutely no need to prove anything to anybody.’ (Quote #36).
What you sow so shall you reap
Jan 14th is normally celebrated as a harvest festival in different parts of our country. As I approach another harvest festival at the end of 7 years, I am reminded of what an author once said,
‘Cultivate your craft. Water it daily, pour some tender loving care into it, and watch it grow. Remember that a plant doesn’t sprout immediately. Be patient, and know that in life you will reap what you sow.’
I can see that this passage applies not just to writing but to anything worthwhile that we wish to achieve in a career or life.
Not the seven-year itch!
While I reap the harvest today of what I had been sowing through the last 7 years, I continue to sow today what I could reap another day.
Because what I am engaged in could go on forever.
You see, it is not a seven-year itch!
Are you going through the proverbial ‘seven-year itch’ in your current role? I do coach individuals to reimagine a new future. Interested to get coached? Reach out to me at [email protected].
