What if you do not have a dream?
It is frustrating not to be able to figure out what to do with your life. Understandably, many people flounder when they do not know what it is that they are working towards. It often feels too hard and people get stuck along the way, even giving up and saying that there is no use in trying. No wonder so many people feel an underlying malaise and a lack of fulfillment.
Happily, there is an answer.
When you do not have a dream, you need to build your goal from the bottom up. The motivation comes from figuring out what works for you. It involves adopting a new attitude, one of mindfulness that is
- open to learning,
- proactive in going after opportunities,
- fearless in getting rid of things that do not work and
- trusting that the process will lead to fulfillment.
With this attitude, it becomes a lot easier to overcome the frustration of not knowing what to do.
The process starts with knowing who you are at your core: your values, your passions and your unique talents. Once you can identify these three elements, start paying attention to the things in your life that you value, that you love and that you are good at. Look for ways to do more of this. Get rid of the things that do not serve you. Learn to be patient and trust that you are in a process and on a journey.
By resisting the urge to figure things out immediately, you can relax into the experience and become more open to the learning process. Before long, you can start to formulate goals that incorporate these values, strengths and passions. Do not worry about “making mistakes”. If you are open to learning, there are no mistakes, only learning opportunities.
If you are curious to see how I created the career of my dreams by using this process, click here!
So if you are one of those people who longs for fulfillment and does not know where to find it, relax. Embrace the journey. Strive to align your life with what works best for the authentic you. Adopt the mindset that allows you to learn from your experiences. Start to focus on the things that are working for you. Do more of what works. Get rid of the things and the people that do not serve you well. And trust that you will find your authentic success.
© Astrid Baumgardner 2011
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I would be delighted if you should wish to reprint (for free) any part of this article in your newsletters, blogs, websites, and message boards. Please include the following attribution:
Astrid Baumgardner, JD, PCC is a professional life coach and lawyer, Coordinator of Career Strategies and Lecturer at the Yale School of Music and the founder and President of Astrid Baumgardner Coaching + Training, which is dedicated to helping musicians, lawyers and creative professionals take charge of their lives and experience authentic success. In addition to her work at YSM and her individual coaching practice, Astrid presents workshops at leading conservatories and law firms on topics including Career Planning, Goal-Setting, Time Management, Dynamic Communication, Conflict Management and Personal Branding and Networking. She is the author of numerous articles on the various aspects of how to achieve and live authentic success.
