Most of us blandly go through the day, without much thought on why we do what we do.
We have gotten into routines that could have us complete them with our eyes closed.
We do the same things, eat the same foods, go to the same stores, wear the same clothes, work the same jobs ...
bland, boring, blah.
Yes I know we are in some difficult financial times, but why does that mean life or work should be bland or boring? It is time to get Fired Up! It is time to start to see the good, not the bad; it is time to be optimistic, not pessimistic.
It is time to see your capabilities and opportunities, not your flaws and limits.
Fired Up! people know what they are good at and what they love.
They build these into their work and life so they get to do them every day.
It empowers them; it engages them.
They are more intrinsically happy, focused and content, regardless of the economy or other situations.
Any psychologist will tell you that you control (or must control) your response to events in your life.
It is up to you to live in work in a way of great energy or boredom.
It is up to you to love life or hate it.
It is up to you to embrace change or fight it.
And my best information on this is since it is my choice, then I intend to choose extraordinary instead of ordinary.
I intend to choose optimism instead of pessimism.
Sure, there have been many times where I see the negative far more than the positive.
I could worry about money with an upcoming wedding, grad school for one daughter and undergrad for another.
I could worry about getting my new consulting business off the ground during the toughest economy in my lifetime.
Or, I can be thrilled about the accomplishments of my kids, and see their growth in relationships and school as their tickets to a happy, exciting and productive life.
I can see the challenges of starting a business in tough times as a test of my creativity, innovation and tenacity.
I can use these events for worry or I can be optimistic and see them for the positive events that they are.
I can worry about change or know that I am intrinsically capable to handle whatever comes my way.
My choice.
I choose fired up.
I was particularly impressed with an interview I heard with Ariane de BonVoisin, the author of The First 30 Days.
She is an expert in dealing with change, how to understand it, see its value and always land on your feet.
Her primary focus is optimism and to learn how to direct our self-talk to be positive, supportive and empowering instead of demeaning, self-pitying and counter-productive.
Fired Up! is the only way to survive change.
Staying Fired Up! and positive in any period of change can be a challenge but to be successful consider my three suggestions below: 1.
Spend some time with yourself (I call it self-awareness) and define: a.
What you are great at (your talents and strengths); b.
What you love to do (what activates your passions).
2.
Look at your job/hobbies/life and see that they play to your talents and strengths and include as many of the things that activate your passions as possible.
Build a plan for change if you are not playing to your strengths and are not engaged and excited about what you do.
3.
Start each day with a 10 minute reconnect: a.
Read from someone who you find inspirational (my favorites are Steve Farber, Sherwin Nuland, Tom Peters and Ogden Nash).
Get inspired.
b.
Recommit to your statement of purpose or happiness (what do you want from work and life).
c.
Identify three things you are grateful for (see the good - focus on optimism).
d.
Identify two people who need to hear something positive from you today (see that there is more to the world than just you and your challenges).
e.
Identify how you will play to your strengths today (create a plan just for today - a day at a time).
Fired Up! is the only way to live and work.
As many have said, life is not a dress rehearsal.
If we have just one great ride on this planet, then I want mine to be extraordinary.
I want to be fired up, excited and passionate about what I do in life and in work.
I want to be optimistic, enthusiastic and energetic.
Because I realize it is my choice.
And as I build my plan, I surround myself with others who want the same.
Fired Up or Fizzled Out.
I choose Fired Up! Which do you choose?