A late Valentine

I declare my undying love for the brain of Daniel Pink.

Just as once again I was becoming tempted by the dark side of career change (the fruitless and joy sapping search for my passion or perfect path etc) his article popped into my inbox reminding me of an understanding I had right at the beginning of the process.  It may work for some people but a eureka moment of blinding inspiration is not what I seek or expect.  That's not how I work.  I tried for that moment for quite a long time and became frustrated and upset with myself for failing.

Anyway, read his article, it is perfect for me and anyone else in the career change process who's a bit of a pragmatist and who inwardly groans when asked that super unhelpful question "What's your passion?".

http://www.danpink.com/archives/2011/02/the-case-against-passion

Busy, busy, lah!

It's nearly four months since I left my finance job and life feels pretty full.  So full that it would be wise to put some gaps back into my week.  After starting the year a bit blue and deflated, I seem to have tapped into Spring energy and want to keep doing more new things.   A bit of balance wouldn't go amiss.  So... more walking, less reading, less email, more stillness.  Can I do it? Yes I can.

A nice moment

I had a massage treatment on Friday and as part of the initial consultation gave the usual details of name, age, address etc.  When it came to Occupation, I had to pause.  After a quick think I said Manager.  What was quite nice was that the old response of Accountant didn't even occur to me.  Of course I am still an accountant.  I'm also a student and a manager.  I am all these things and more.

A reaction to criticism

Here's what I posted on my argus.co.uk blog as my biog back in October:

"I'm a chartered accountant and MBA who has decided, after many years in the corporate world, that there's more to life than turning up to an office each day and working my socks off. Finding out what that "more to life" is, while not going broke, is my mission for the next 12 months."

Since I turned in my notice at my old job, I have started a Psychology course, sat some exams, thrown a do for my Dad's 80th, started a new part time job in a totally unrelated field, started two blogs, started an Artist's Way course and .... well, I won't go on.  The point is I've started a lot of new things and I'm adjusting.  No, I haven't found the answer to everything and, yes, sometimes it's tiring and bewildering and I do still have a habit of pushing on regardless instead of stopping and smelling the coffee.  I am getting better at it, though.  Progress is jumpy.  I have great days and awful days.  I don't regret leaving my job at all.

This may all seem very trivial stuff, but it's my life and my mission statement still holds true.

Over and out.

"Reality" vs God Will Provide

Reality = my annual mortgage statement which plopped through my letterbox this weekend.  Cue... panic, reality check, rebudgeting (no different from the old budget, I can still last the year on part time work), the words of sceptical friends and family ringing in my ears.  The weight of responsibility.  The sucking away of joy at the thought of having to give up and go back. The pressure to find "it", the way of living and working that is satisfying and fun.

God will provide = Chapter 5 of The Artist's Way.  Isn't it a wonderfully appealing thought, that if we are willing to admit what we really want and go for it, the world will move to meet and help us on our way?

I'm going to have to stick my fingers in my ears and go "la, la, la" for a bit to recover my enthusiasm and loosen up enough to find my way again.    

Maybe it's my metaphors

There's a great article in today's Observer about the power of metaphor by James Geary.  I had noticed the language I use around my career and life change is all about hard work, struggle, warrior spirit and searching.  Journey, paths, battle, demons, break through, and a magical destination.  No wonder it's such bloody hard work.  Perhaps (ok, more than perhaps) I've set myself up for a long slog.

Dancing with demons?
Flitting through change?
Singing to bliss?

Worth a go....