There are times when we all ask ourselves, “is my current path the right one?”
I know I’ve been asking myself that question left, right, and center since I left Washington DC for the Outback. My business, family, and friends all factor into my answer. Some days I’m sure, other days not so much.
Like many of my clients, I’m on the edge of change. You may be too. Unfortunately, we can’t stand on the edge forever, standing still. We have to leap.
If there’s something in your gut that’s telling you that blind acceptance of your current path isn’t working for you – listen. Conscious choice demands courage and intention.
It’s hard, right? To know if you’re making the right choices when most of the time there are no perfect choices. If there was one alternative that was head and shoulders above the rest every time you’d always know what to do… which you don’t.
Most people don’t like to talk about that feeling out loud. It’s not exactly the same as being stuck because you’re working to make choices – good choices. Ok, the best choices. However, having choices in front of you doesn’t always make that leap any easier.
What I’ve found is the most powerful tool to empower change isn’t having all of the answers. Yes, we all like to ask people what to do, hope they’ll tell us our magic answer, and we can just go and do it. But we’re not four-years-old, and all the armchair quarterbacks out there don’t have your answers because they’re in you. The most powerful tool at your disposal as you assess your commitment to your current path is questions.
[Tweet “Just because you’re on a path doesn’t mean you have to stay there. #change”]
Is Your Current Path the Right One or Is it Time for a Change?
Ask Yourself:
- Does it light you up?
- If you won the lottery, would you quit?
- Are you always open to hearing about new opportunities?
- Would you rather stay in bed than get down to business?
- What are you avoiding?
- Do you have an end goal? (what are you working towards?)
- Are you stressed about it all the time?
- Are you having fun?
- Can you breathe? (Be You)
- Are you suffering from shiny object syndrome?
- How often does procrastination win over productivity?
- Do you fantasize about doing something else?
- If money were no object, what would you choose to do?
- Do you feel like you have consistent wins?
- How do you define success?
- Do you often complain about the headaches?
- How often do you celebrate your successes?
- Are you fulfilled?
- What’s missing?
- Are you happy?
Sit with these questions. This isn’t a five-minute exercise. You may want to tackle a few a day. One thing you can count on is that if you stick with it, your answers within will become clear.
If you’d like to explore these questions more deeply with a partner, I’d love to hear from you.
Hi Alli,
Love the “20 Questions” analogy. Certainly digs in and helps everyone find that one topic, the one issue that may be either blocking them OR will transform their efforts.
Great post!
Kate
Thanks, Kate. The questions that are the hardest to answer is probably where people need to linger the most.
Alli
From this post: “If there’s something in your gut that’s telling you that blind acceptance of your current path isn’t working for you – listen. Conscious choice demands courage and intention.” Love the questions …
Particularly, 3: “Are you always open to hear about new opportunities?” Even better: Are you always open to assessing the current choices and Considering new options?
And also, #15: “How do you define success?” As I observe and listen, this is the question far too many people look to others to dictate … I like the link you provided with this one – as I did when I first Considered it (and commented on it)! As you noted and I agreed, satisfaction must be key, along with OUR choosing OUR definition of success. Oh, the number of individuals I’ve encountered that are Don Quixote chasing someone’s choice of windmills!!!
John,
Great question you’ve added here. There are always forks in the road even if we’re moving in the same direction. “Are you always open to assessing the current choices and Considering new options?”
Don Quixote… hear you!
Thanks,
Alli
Great questions, Alli. I think another may be “Are you doing the exploration work in your areas of interest?”. We may have an idea of what we want to do or be but, unless we do the work of exploration, we may never know. Or, we may make the leap and then find out it isn’t what we thought. It isn’t being over-analytical; it is about adding some practical work into our life curiosity. Jon
Jon,
We will never leap if it’s into a black hole. Exploration of what’s next, what interests us, and what can be is essential to moving forward in our lives. I’ve discovered time and time again, a little research goes a long way.
Thanks!
Alli
I love all your questions Alli! Questions are way more important than answers as they really ignite deep thinking and focus. I especially relate to #5-What are you avoiding? When I feel stuck and know something isn’t working, I ask myself what is stopping me from moving in a particular direction? And if the answer is fear or “not sure” then I know I am ready to dive in.
Thanks Alli and will definitely share today!
That’s a tricky question because it takes a lot of vulnerability. Some people may think, “oh! I’m avoiding admin or travel or whatever…” In truth, it’s those deeper things, like fear, that are the most telling.
Always appreciate your insights. So helpful. Thanks, Terri!
Alli
I love these questions Alli! My cells were dancing and confidence oozing as I read many of them. I will spend my time on the others as well. Thank you for sharing!
Yay! These are definitely questions I try to come back to again and again. Thanks, Chery!
Alli
Great questions, Alli! I especially like “If you won the lottery, would you quit?” That gets right to the heart of the matter. Most people would quit their job, sit on their butts for about 6 months, and then start looking for something to do. Sitting on our butt is not fulfilling…to your point. If what we’re doing is not fulfilling, we need to think about “why” it’s not…and then make the leap!
Yup. Most people would quit… then what? Windfalls aside, how can we have more of that thing that’s missing in our life NOW. Why wait?
Perfectly said, LaRae. Thanks!
Alli
Great list of questions and I liked your response, too, the one where you said that the hardest ones to answer are the ones where we need to linger longer and figure out a good, honest answer. Well, you didn’t say exactly that. I added the last part. In previous workshops and seminars I used to ask people #13 with great frequency. The answers varied, as you might expect. My own answer, when I was working, was, most of the time, I would do exactly what I was doing except for one thing. I would travel more often and always first class. That’s really two things but there you have it.
Now, since I am not really a member of the working class, I can happily say I am definitely on the right path. We spent today in Glacier National Park and it was simply spectacular, a real treat. Tomorrow, off toward Vancouver, will probably go half way, a leisurely 4 week, 6000 mile road trip. Cheers!