My path collides with a lot of dreamers. I love getting invited into these conversations as a life coach, friend, pastor or consultant. The energy is potent, the urgency is palpable. I’ve personally wrestled with and fielded the same question many times; Should I stay or should I go? or put differently; Should I continue THIS or start THAT?
We catch wind of a young Steve Jobs, teenagers starting non-profits and successful young entrepreneurs, and we chomp at the bit to start something. While there’s no universal answer, I find myself sharing these same principles over and over. I also write more about this in Staying is the new Going. In addition to ingesting these principles seek wise (and balanced) counsel, pray intentionally and give yourself time to make a rational decision.
You need to zoom out. When we zoom out on our maps app we discover the context of the landscape around us. We must also do this in life. Zooming out to our big WHY, what deeply matters to us, rudders our current decisions.
You need to discover how you contribute to others. Before taking a career-shifting jump you need to uncover how you add value to others. With reps you can eventually discover your greatest creative contribution.
You need to learn crucial lessons now. Your future is an investment. Investing always involves delayed gratification. There are lessons you need to learn in order to develop your future leadership. Working hard on your leadership today is an investment that will mature with time and help you in every future venture.
You need to steward THIS before you can be trusted with THAT. You’ve been given an opportunity now. Perhaps it feels teeny, but you need to treat it with care. Those who do well with what they’ve been given are entrusted with more. As your influence increases your decisions get tougher. I promise.
You need to take calculated risks. Find a few small 5% risks you can take this year, instead of ripping the Band Aid off with a 100% risk. Leverage a small percentage of time and energy this year into something you value. Don’t quit your day job for a dream. The greater the risk the greater the pressure.
You need to connect with people who will open future doors for you. If you have a big dream you’ll need others to help you launch it. You can meet those people and grow with them now where you are already serving and leading.
You need to develop grit. There’s no substitute for the mental tenacity you’ll develop in the trenches of your work. You need to learn to be led, even if it’s by leaders you would rather not submit to. Stretching now will prepare you for bigger stretches in the future.
You need to get really good at something. In his book Outliers, Malcolm Galdwell popularized the 10,000 hour rule. In order to master something like a craftsman you need many hours of dedicated and focused practice. It takes time and focus to master something, but once you do others will recognize this and you will find great fulfillment in it.
As the old adage goes, “The grass isn’t greener on the other side; it’s greener where you water it.” Invest in your work, your leadership, your character and your relationships now and you’ll find yourself positioned to take greater risks later. Perhaps it’s not time to launch…yet. Popular opinion shouts GO FORTH, but I believe wisdom whispers STAY FORTH!
Spend some time with these questions…
How can you continue doing THIS while you begin doing THAT?
How can you incrementally take your next right step?
How would you be more equipped for this risk three years from now?