If eighty-hour workweeks and impending layoffs are leaving you apprehensive about your career decision, you’re not alone. These days, countless professionals are yearning for more fulfilling careers.

Unfortunately, many business people are going through their day-to-day work activities and feeling as if they’re pedaling a bicycle uphill in the wrong gear.

They secretly yearn for the feelings of freedom and self-reliance they used to have when they were children pedaling away on their very own Schwinns, Huffys, and Evans Colsons.

How can we recapture those childhood feelings of independence, adventure, and joy?

1. Safely navigate work’s potholes, ruts, curbs, obstacles, and challenges.
In order to excel professionally, you need the ability to learn from any past mistakes rather than dwell on them.

The truth is that the only wrong mistake is one we don’t learn from - when things go wrong, we have a choice. We can criticize ourselves and curse our own bad luck, or we can coach ourselves, extract value from what we learned, and focus on how we can handle that situation better in the future.

The next time something devastating happens to you, whether it’s a layoff or a failed project, remember there are lessons to be learned.

2. Take the direct route.
Many people are so confused at work that they don’t know what is expected of them anymore. It’s during these times that people need to use straight talk to solve issues.

Being Direct with Respect® means being able to communicate openly and honestly without hurt feelings. Encourage Be Direct with Respect® in your office by thinking about what you really want to say, writing it down, and practicing it.

The more you use it, the more comfortable you’ll feel, and the more your colleagues will follow your lead.

3. Stay balanced when the road is bumpy.

If your life feels out of balance, the quickest way to identify what’s missing is to focus on your core values.

What’s holding you back from achieving balance in your life? Do you spend time on things that really matter to you … or do you focus on other people’s goals?

To gain balance, you first must be true to yourself. When you can gear down, relax, and enjoy the flowers on the side of the road, you can learn to see the right path.

4. Discover the joy right where you are.

Every day, people push themselves to the point of exhaustion. They complain that they don’t know how to enjoy themselves anymore.

Instead of wasting energy worrying about the small matters, take a look at the big picture of your life:

- Schedule time for yourself every day - whether it’s 15 minutes or an hour.
- Try to remember when you rode your bike just for the sheer pleasure of riding. What can you do today to rekindle those emotions?
- Think about the people who bring happiness to your life.
- Start appreciating what you have instead of concentrating on what you want.

Your ability to face your fears, be yourself, stay balanced, and enjoy the moment will help you recapture the feelings of your youth … when your bike was your ticket to adventure.

Conclusion
Sometimes the journey will be easy coasting, while other times it will be an uphill bumpy trek. Either way, it’s up to you to take the initiative and design the kind of life you want to live.

Author's Bio: 

Joyce Weiss is a world renowned certified speaking professional and facilitator on employee performance and group dynamics. She’s captivated countless listeners on radio talk shows, motivated more than 50,000 people in over 500 businesses, and written for hundreds of publications. She’s the author of Full Speed Ahead and Take the Ride of Your Life! Visit JoyceWeiss.com for professional growth tools and free reports on Be direct with respect®, team synergy, and work/life balance.