When you have the perfect career, work can become more fun than even having fun.
This morning my entire world has turned into a winter wonderland. It is a complete miracle of nature. The foot of snow and the brisk winds have created an artistic swirling re-design of the physical world around me. Smooth white curves and peaks and valleys replace the usual stiff lines of roads, homes, and sidewalks. It looks like a still picture of waves on the ocean. It is truly breathtakingly beautiful.
As a side effect of all the beauty nature has provided this morning, I get to have a “Snow Day.” Yesterday afternoon the school system, most businesses, and medical offices all announced they would be closed today. That means my son is home, which gives me the whole day to work and play with him; plus, I can make no professional visits to offices, and can do no errands. A Snow Day is an opportunity to do whatever I like for as long as I like, with no obligations.
As this concept sunk in yesterday, I realized I was saying to myself, “Great, I can stay home and work all day!” This feeling really created clarity for me about my passion. Most of us have a day job to pay the bills, and a passion that we would spend every free moment doing if we had the choice and didn't have to do our day job. I realized that the passion for me was to work on Extreme Thought Makeover… my true life’s mission.
In my book I speak about developing a life and career mission statement to use to help you with all decisions about what to commit your time doing in your life. The idea is to line up your energy with actions and goals that will be truly satisfying for you, long-term. Many people have this, such as artists, actors, professional athletes, authors, chefs, stay at home moms, teachers, psychics, motivational speakers, doctors, astronauts, pilots, etc. It is different for each of us, and it is a wonderful journey discovering it for our individual selves. It can also change during our lifetime. One journey to the perfect career can then lead you to another career, and yet another.
Here is another way to test it. If you were given a Snow Day today, what would you spend the entire day doing? You have the choice to spend all day doing what you truly love to do. If you are already doing that in your life, then your career and life are in perfect alignment.
This was really a fun realization for me. Think about it for yourself, and see what comes up. It is important. Be sure to honor the answers that come to you, and make a commitment to move toward them a little each day. Don’t ever forget what your Snow Day felt like.
Okay, I have to go and enjoy the rest of my Entrepreneur’s Snow Day!
Enjoy,
Rick
Rick Schaefer M.D. is an established author and is the creator of Extreme Thought Makeover™ … 37 Days to Maximum Life! He has a life coaching practice, teaching from the principles in his program. Rick also has 19 years experience as a physician, and 14 years experience studying personal development, success, and the Law of Attraction. He now works at the intersection of those two fields by helping people at the root cause of disease … their thinking. He is the father of three, and makes his home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at the shore of Lake Michigan.
He can be heard regularly on WISN Radio 1130 AM in Milwaukee. He has been President of the Anesthesia Society, has taught at the Medical College of Wisconsin, has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and on National Public Radio, and has been a featured speaker at regional and national success seminars. He has also appeared on the Lifetime TV Network’s “The Balancing Act.”