This will be a short post. I was not a strong Hero today.
I allowed myself to get stuck in the past – my fears, doubts and mistakes.
I did my best to get beyond, but it was a struggle today, and my shadow self won.
Tomorrow is another day; I have not given up. Just lost this battle in a much bigger Quest.
We have a family friend in hospital and his sister is friends with our daughter.
There’s some anxiety around our hospitalized friend, and as such, our daughter has been keen to show support. She felt the best way to deliver that support was to spend some time with his sister.
It’s not a big deal, but I was able to lend a hand by acting as chauffeur for the two of them.
On a day when my own quest is once again in a holding pattern, I found joy in helping my daughter with her mini-Quest.
I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m doing it again. We can be Heroes in small ways, by helping others on their journey. My daughter may not remember what I did today, but I’ll always remember the big hug they gave each other upon meeting. Mission accomplished.
Today was a relatively quiet day on the Quest.
I had some low-key follow-up and a few small tasks, but that’s it.
I’m in a holding pattern right now, as I’m waiting for people to get back to me with next steps.
My usual stance is to be focused on key activity related to each opportunity. But, a current lack of formal next steps has removed that necessity for now.
I know that high activity is coming again, and I’m OK to coast for a day, or two.
Today, I learned – not learned really – but was able to affirm something we’re all told about life: You’ve got to know what you expect from it.
Too often in my past, I made decisions without referencing them against my deepest desires. That can make for an unfulfilled existence, and also have us quest in the wrong direction.
Today, I was presented with an opportunity and had to admit at the end of the meeting that we’re probably a poor fit. My goals for the role, it seemed to me, were somewhat at odds with their goals.
I was able to quickly ascertain this, as I have a map, and when I layered this opportunity on it, I saw that we’re heading in different directions. Damn!
My expectations going into the meeting were that we were aligned. I can’t say that any longer.
As much as there’s disappointment, there’s also gratitude. In order for a door to open, another may need to close.
As I mentally prepared myself for the week ahead, I found myself thinking back to prior times, and past decisions I’ve made in my life.
There was no real regret, nor doubt, but a bit of thought around what I might have done differently.
I would have been braver, and acted more the Hero. Two little words, but they have power to make all the difference in our lives.
So, as I continue on this search for a great opportunity I’ll keep that in mind: Be brave, take a risk.
I spent the day on another Quest today. This quest was in keeping with my day yesterday: a break from my search for a great opportunity. A lot of time and energy has been put into this quest, and to be honest, it was good to extend the break from it!
We did a one-day cottage close today. It encompassed a mad dash by car and boat, then many tasks to close the cottage and boathouse. It was a bit wild, as I spent a good part of the day outdoors.
We had growing winds, lots of rain and cool temperatures in a pretty isolated place, the eastern shore of Georgian Bay.
In a way, I felt like I was in a medieval myth – battling the elements and working against time. We had to finish before darkness set in, as we had a 30-minute boat ride in rough water.
It was a more primitive version of quest than I’ve been on in a while. And, due to the elements, it was also pretty raw. When we finally finished the day, we were cold, wet and tired. And, happy that we’d accomplished our goal, and shut down the cottage.
A take-away for me today was the satisfaction that comes from being able to start and finish this quest in one day. My main Quest is so big, and so important, and so long that progress is steady, but slow.
Today was about getting things done and crossing them off the list. That felt great!
Today, I was fortunate to meet – to interview and be interviewed by – six leaders at an industry-leading company with a great mission.
Everyone I met was a smart, savvy, engaged professional. They all saw golden opportunity for me at the company.
This Quest has been very important to me. In it, I’ve evaluated every opportunity as a chance to further my efforts to answer the Call. The Call to be all that I can be, to take risks and make a difference in my life, and hopefully the world.
My concern going into these meetings was that I’d be a cog in a wheel at this company. Not a great way to answer the Call!
However, after 11 – yes 11 – meetings, I now see an opportunity to add value. I can’t quantify where that will happen yet. I don’t know the industry, company or customers well enough. But, I perceive an environment in which I can bring my best to the table, and make a difference.
No offers on the table yet, and I’ve got some thinking to do to compare this opportunity to the other one I have in play.
But, by going in and asking lots of good questions, I see a possible home here for me. You can’t imagine how that feels – amazing really.
An end to a wonderful, blessed day. Once again, I am a very grateful man.
I think I’m about to be faced with a conundrum on this Quest for a great, new opportunity.
This week, I’ll be in final interviews with one of two firms I’m evaluating. However, I’ve only started the process with the second firm. I may be faced with an offer from one before I’ve had a chance to fully evaluate the other. Both are great companies and they both offer great opportunity.
Believe me, I’m not complaining about this situation. However, I was really hoping to be able to fully evaluate both, before being asked to make a choice for either.
I’d like to think that this is where my intuition has a role to play in selecting the right opportunity.
My strategy will be to go to that still, quiet place and to seek answers there. This decision is about more than a job or money. It’s about fully answering the Call, and being an active participant in that flow.
There’s risk in following the Call, but I have to believe that’s what makes the reward all the sweeter.
Today was a day in which there was no major Quest activity, but no backward momentum either.
I worked on solidifying my upcoming meetings next week, and the week after, and that’s about it.
The truth of the Call is that not every day is going to be action-packed, nor full of the major emotions I’ve been writing about these past couple months: Hope, Abundance, Fear, Doubt.
You know, I”m OK that today was just a day. They, too, are the stuff of life.
Progress on a couple fronts today. I now have a second meeting planned with the company I met yesterday. And, next week I have a day of meetings planned with the other folks, at their head office.
This Quest, I think, will be resolved in the next two or three weeks, if we can jointly keep the momentum going.
So, what’s the experience been like these past few days?
Well, some anxiety due to my commitment to ensure I perform this Quest as a Hero. It’s about being brave, and making this decision based on what’s right, true and authentic for me.
I’ve committed myself to finding a great opportunity to be my best, versus just getting a job or chasing money. I’ve played that game far too often in the past, and it is not a very rewarding way to live life.
Myth Hope and Life 