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Just when you think you need to cash all your chips in and move to the wilderness new opportunities creep into your life. That is exactly what happened this week and it was glorious. Lately, I have been committed to going all in on a couple of projects which I still believe is the move. It’s just sometimes the universe has different plans for you. Hence the quote “Expect The Unexpected”.
A few new opportunities opened their doors and I can’t help but participate. They align with my values and my genuine interest in working in the behavioral health field with a tech twist. The thing that surprised me was how they came to fruition. It was literally networking on Linkedin and writing this newsletter that created these connections. Somehow some way these new colleagues and I found a way to connect and make something happen. I think that is the name of the game. You put some good vibes out there and good will come back to you. That’s why consistency and commitment matters. Which also boils down to routine. That’s probably where we’ll spend time today. Building habits that make progress. Moving forward in your journey is not always about achieving something new or grinding out a product every day. It’s about getting through the boring nothingness that is life sometimes.
Let’s take The “I’m in a Rut” Phase to a New Level:
Lean Into The Mundane: I started interviewing when I was looking at possibly getting back into a corporate financial services job. Nothing was happening. I got turned down time after time for open positions. A few times I was overqualified and sometimes I just wasn’t a fit. It was mostly the first one. I was second-guessing myself and trying to escape from a prior life. That shouldn’t have been the move. I know that now, but it took all that rejection to give in and stick to my routine. Even though I had been in a miserable rut and couldn’t face doing more admissions day in and day out. I was burnt out on the whole thing and wanted out. I took a coward's route instead of facing the fact I was meant for bigger things.
Get Small: I don’t mean to shrink or eat tiny food. Although sometimes I like to buy those tiny cans of soda pop to feel like Andre The Giant. This means breaking down your desires, days, and tasks into smaller more manageable increments. Take breaks from overworking yourself and achieve small goals. This helps improve your attitude and your overall cognitive health. This is very key in CBT therapy which I refer to often. It’s flipping the script on your brain. When you master the tiny brain aspect life doesn’t seem too bad. Before you know it new relationships have come to light or maybe you finished a project. This happened to me. I broke down deep work phases and all of a sudden I had a working app over a weekend. That’s insane for someone with not a lot of crazy coding skills. (AI FTW).
Commit: All the while going through this ridiculous existential crisis I was still committed to two things. One was my daily routine. Making sure I got my work done, taking siestas, and dedicating time to my physical health even if that just meant sleep. The other was a personal commitment I made to myself to create an exit strategy for the next phase of my life. There’s no way I can remain in the same role I have forever. I clearly have this unwavering belief in myself. It’s an unhealthy belief that I am meant to do something more in life and help a wider range of people. Most entrepreneurs and insane people have this narcissistic attitude. It can be misguided at times, but if applied to a greater cause it can be game changing. Pretty sure I fall into the latter. At least that’s what my Shaman says. We’ll see how it plays out.
These ideas and processes are daunting and boring as all hell, but they work. If I hadn’t been consistent in sticking to my personal branding, posting, writing, and networking then none of these opportunities would have presented themselves. It’s just like being in a salesroom. To be the best you have to be willing to do what the other guy won’t. An example of this is I had a friend on a sales desk and we challenged each other to make 150 dials before lunch every day. Imagine that shit. It’s a tall ask and man did that rejection suck. Guess what though? We were the top two guys on that desk just because we did what the other guys wouldn’t and we committed to that ish. He carried that vigor with him and now runs multiple successful businesses of his own. Which proves my theory.
That’s how things happen. Sometimes just waiting it out and staying the course is the best action you can take. Enjoy the week with some cheese. Goodnight San Francisco!
