By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Kris Parfitt
I love this question because the possibilities are endless. To me not having to be concerned about money leads my imagination everywhere! I’d be a philanthropist and travel to remote places to see what projects are best funded to better the world. I’d be a National Geographic photographer. I’d row across the Atlantic. I’d work for a season at the Palmer Station in Antarctica. I’d live in Peru and study the Inca architecture to discover how they made their incredible walls. I would travel the states and incorporate Paint Dancing into every K-12 school with the intention of ending shyness and exclusion; and on and on and on. It’s a fun exercise one that excites me and motivates me to find ways to do these things regardless of income.
However, interestingly enough, this question stumps many adults.
I find my clients often times stumble, letting logic get in the way of thinking of possibilities, shaking their heads and declaring “Yeah, right.” I’ll nudge them along and finally get a few things out like, “Well, I’d spend more time with my kids.” Great! Doing what? “I dunno, maybe go to the park more often.”
But ask a child what they would do with their free time and you can’t shut them up! Of course, they don’t have a concept of “if money were not object”, but they understand on a fun yet simple level that really anything is possible when you believe in it.
Then where did we, as adults, lose the ability to believe in what’s possible regardless of parameters?
Evidence points in the direction that we believe that if we create our own reality then that reality is the hard-core, written in stone, unchangeable truth. As adults we forget that if we did indeed create our reality in the first place, that we can then reinvent our reality at any point in time.
If I were a trapeze artist in a circus, how would I pay my mortgage? Money is no object. Well I could get hurt being a trapeze artist. Yes, you could. But money is not object, so medical bills wouldn’t matter. Oh, well living the circus life could be difficult. Money is no object, so you could reinvent the circus life you’d live, or any life you could live for that matter. Oh, well I don’t like traveling anyway.FACT: We have created a reality filled with parameters that result in being easily stopped.
It’s almost like we don’t dare to imagine something fun because logistics (the reality of the life we created) get in the way and it turns out being a disappointing and unrealistic plan anyway.
What if the question was put more profoundly…what if you were asked to write your obituary today? If you were to die today, what would your obituary say about you and what you did with the years in your life? Are people inspired by what you did? Are YOU inspired by what you did? Why or why not?
The second part of this question is to write an obituary about yourself far into the future and ask the same questions posed above. You’ve had the time and opportunity to create a reality with results you would be proud of…what do you want your life to say about you?
“I played a small game and was afraid to answer the questions about how big a game I could play with my life.”
Or...
“I partnered with the time I had on this planet and made a difference to people by providing them opportunities to live into their greatness. I was acknowledged for this by being surrounded by extraordinary people who were inspired by who I was for them such that they invited me to be a part of their extraordinary lives.”
So I admit that last paragraph is a summary of what I would like to be able to say about my life after I’ve died, but what do you want to say about your life? This exercise is not designed to bum you out. Instead revise your context and explore the possibility that YOU do have a say in how your future turns out. You CAN write an obituary to live into; or if you prefer, write a speech used to introduce you during an award ceremony where you accept your lifetime achievement award. Regardless of the questions asked in this article the context is similar; the questions are designed to confront you into exploring the answers with inspiring and motivating results. If you no longer want to play a small game and avoid these questions consider working with a coach who will assist you in creating an extraordinary future in which to live into. Kris Parfitt offers this kind of coaching, contact her at info@careerleadershipcoaching.com and schedule a 20-minute coaching session about this very topic. NOTE: This article was originally posted on www.careerrocketeer.com. Kris Parfitt is a career strategist and leadership branding coach who is committed to finding your roadblocks and moving them out of the way so you can have the career success you want. Kris has over twenty years experience in leadership, counseling, and training positions all of which have provided an exceptional education which allows her to be a dynamic coach, one that focuses on inspiring you to acknowledge and express your extraordinary abilities and potential. Connect with Kris via LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter.
