Here’s a little bit of trivia about me you probably didn’t know: I was the senior speaker at my high school graduation ceremony. Now, let me be clear: I went to a very small, independent study high school where most of the students attended just one day of class per week. The ceremony was actually held in the parking lot. So I’m not bragging here. I wasn’t valedictorian, though I did graduate with honors. I was actually selected to be senior speaker by the students and the faculty, which—for me—is even better than if I had been chosen for my grades.
So, why do bring this up? Because I wanted to share a quote from my graduation speech. It’s one that still inspires me to this day.
In everything you do, shoot for the moon. Because even if you miss, at least you’re among the stars.
I’m not sure who said this or where it came from. I don’t even remember the first time I heard it. But the words were so powerful; they’ve stayed with me for decades now.
The other day, I was reminded of this quote while interviewing Dick Bolles, the author of What Color Is Your Parachute? (By the way, if you missed it, you can listen to it here.)
During our conversation, while discussing the concept of searching for your “dream job,” Mr. Bolles said the following:
You have to start with the largest vision of what you really, really, really want to do with your life so that if you only get 60 percent of that, you’ve gotten far, far more than if you started with a vision that you hacked down in the name of supposed reality.
How often do you find yourself aiming low because it’s more “realistic”? What are you perhaps missing out on because of that? What if you aimed higher? What if, dare I say it, you aimed for the very top? Even if fell short, would you not possibly end up better off in the long run?
Sometimes, it feels safer and easier to keep your hopes in check. Why try for something that seems so far out of reach? This kind of thinking only limits what you’re capable of. It doesn’t challenge you. It doesn’t inspire you. And it forces you to play small.
So, as I told my graduating class back in 1996, shoot for the moon. Whether you’re looking for your next job, your next home or your next mate. Aim for the dream. You might not get it, but then again…you just might.
Written by Chrissy Scivicque, January 02nd, 2012 | 2 Comments »
You’re not waiting for your dreams to come true. Your dreams are waiting for YOU to come true.
At first blush, this sounds so strange. What does it even mean?
I thought about it for a while and soon, I became fascinated with the idea. It’s simple really…and yet, so powerful.
Here’s the way I see it:
Your dreams are out there, alive and well, waiting for you to do your part. They’re begging for you to step into your true potential—to be the best YOU you can be—to grab them with both hands and turn them into reality.
We have it backwards when we sit around waiting for our dreams. They’re far, far ahead of us. It’s our responsibility to reach out, into the darkness, and pull ourselves toward them—not the other way around. Our dreams beckon for us to become more than who we are today, to take action and live up to our highest calling.
Your dreams do exist; they are real. Let this give you comfort, but also motivation.
Your dreams are dancing in the future, just “killing time” you might say, waiting for you to become the person worthy of their gifts.
Do your part and go find them.
Be true to the highest and best version of yourself and your dreams will appear you will appear for your dreams.
This past weekend, I attended a coaching course on the topic of Fulfillment. While I gained so much from the information presented, one of the most important things I learned was that fulfillment can’t wait. It’s the single most important thing we are all searching for. It’s the essence of LIFE.
And yet, so many of us put it off. Life, you might say, gets in the way of LIFE. We want to be “responsible” and “rational” and the end result is that we put our own fulfillment at the bottom of the priority list.
Now, let me clear: There’s nothing wrong with being responsible and rational. These are great qualities for any adult. But it’s easy to use them as excuses for not taking action.
And, when it comes to fulfillment, action can’t wait.
There’s another great excuse for not taking action that’s all around us this time of year. It’s called PLANNING. Yep. That responsible, rational side of your brain is convinced that making a New Year’s resolution is a real step towards achieving fulfillment.
Let’s be clear: TAKING action is not the same as PLANNING action.
Does this mean you shouldn’t plan? Absolutely not. Establish goals, create your to-do lists, dive into planning mode as much as your heart desires. But don’t get it confused with action. Realize that planning can, at times, be a hindrance to action.
(Yes, as a self-proclaimed productivity junkie, this statement gives me the hives. But there comes a time when we all must confront the things that are holding us back.)
Action is the key component to creating fulfillment. There’s nothing stopping any of us from taking action today. Really. I know it’s scary. I know it’s easier to just pull out the calendar and mark a day in the future as “The Day I Will Take Action.” But things come up. Life throws unexpected circumstances at us. That responsible, rational part of you will always find a way to jump in and say that today’s not the day, no matter how long you’ve been planning it.
I believe, with all of my heart, that you can take action today. It doesn’t have to be a giant leap of faith; just one tiny step is all it takes. LIFE is waiting for you to do this.
So today, instead of putting “run a marathon” on your New Year’s resolution list, go register for one. Instead of saying, “Next year I’ll start my own business,” go out and get a new client. Just go do it. There’s nothing stopping you.
What action will you take today to get closer to fulfillment?
Written by Chrissy Scivicque, December 10th, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Everyone wants a job they love. We all want to wake up excited to go to work, spend our days accomplishing goals we’re proud of, and come home feeling pleasantly fulfilled. Oh, and somewhere in there, we’d like a paycheck that provides us with a comfortable lifestyle and may one day put our kids through college.
That’s the dream anyway. But, in reality, we often have to settle for less. We put our dreams on hold in order to put food on the table. That perfect, dream career is exchanged for a livable wage, a decent commute and stability.
To say that you should never give up on finding that dream career sounds a bit naïve. I understand that the world requires us to make sacrifices and, at times, we have to put the needs of our families above our personal desires for career fulfillment. But I still encourage everyone to hold tight to the dream. Not because I think it will one day magically come true. But because nothing is permanent. And, even if you have to momentarily let it go, it’s not to be forgotten completely.
The Path Changes
Many people have told me the path to their dream career looked nothing like what they expected. They took non-traditional roads and explored uncharted territory to get there. It seemed for a while that they were off course. And then, amazingly, they were able to guide their current path in the right direction.
This happened to me, in fact. I had buried my dream of being a writer and was working as an Executive Assistant. I channeled my creative energy into a blog, where I wrote about my challenges at work and how I was overcoming them. My writing was seen by millions and a few years later, I sold my blog and became a fulltime writer. I never would have expected that the path I was on as an Executive Assistant would lead me to my dream of being a writer. I had to manipulate the path somewhat and turn it into something a little different, but it worked.
The Destination Changes
I’ve known many people who tell me they woke up one day and realized they were in their dream career, and it was nothing like what they thought it would be. The job they had taken to make ends meet on the way to another destination turned out to be more than just a stop along the road.
A friend of mine, struggling to become an actor, finally accepted a fulltime position as a customer service trainer. About a year into the gig, he told me wasn’t interested in going on auditions anymore. He felt he had “fallen” into his dream career and it was something he never expected. Sure, it wasn’t as glamorous as being a movie star, but he felt fulfilled. He was using his talents in a way he had never thought of before.
The World Changes
I couldn’t have envisioned my career ten years ago. Even five years ago, the technology I use on a daily basis was only just being developed. The world is constantly changing and growing and, with it, new careers are emerging. In the future, technology we can’t begin to understand will become a part of the mainstream and it will shift our society in ways we can’t predict. Our limits are ever-expanding, and our career possibilities are growing each and every day.
I think about the courses available to college students today and it completely boggles my mind. They are facing a whole world of opportunities that we never had at their age. They can get degrees in online social media! Such an idea never existed five years ago. What will be available in another five years? How will it impact our business world? How will it change your idea of a dream career? No one knows.
YOU Change
You’re not the same person you were yesterday. Ultimately, we’re all changing, every minute of every day. Our dreams are fluid. What once might have seemed like a dream career may no longer suit you. Be willing to let your dreams change and not feel guilty or that you’ve failed. Sometimes, you have to let go of old dreams to let the new ones in. That’s not “giving up”. It’s growing up.
Let your career dreams live through you. Don’t stifle them, ignore them or forget them. They are a part of you. But give yourself the freedom to make your own way. Because we live in the real world, not a dream world. We have responsibilities and families and mortgages. Remember that everything changes and let the world surprise you. Never give up on yourself, your dreams or the possibilities that exist.
Here’s a little bit of trivia about me you probably didn’t know: I was the senior speaker at my high school graduation ceremony. Now, let me be clear: I went to a very small, independent study high school where most of the students attended just one day of class per week. The ceremony was actually held in the parking lot. So I’m not bragging here. I wasn’t valedictorian, though I did graduate with honors. I was actually selected to be senior speaker by the students and the faculty, which—for me—is even better than if I had been chosen for my grades.
The other day I heard the following:
This past weekend, I attended a coaching course on the topic of Fulfillment. While I gained so much from the information presented, one of the most important things I learned was that fulfillment can’t wait. It’s the single most important thing we are all searching for. It’s the essence of LIFE.
