I Could Do That ... But Do I Really Want To?
“Well, I could do that …” How often do you find yourself saying this to friends, family and even at work? This might be the answer you give when some well-meaning person suggests a course of action for you to take. It may be about your business, your relationships, or even the vision they have for your life, your work.
Just because you “could do that” doesn’t mean that it is the path for you. Perhaps it is a skill others value, a definition of success outside of yourself. It may even be the lens that someone is viewing you through – a distorted version of who you truly are.
“When you are a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” Dr. Kent Farnsworth,DDS, my dentist, told me years ago. But, we don’t have to be that nail. It can be easy for people to view life through their own perspectives. Sometimes, people see us as we were, not who we are today. And other times, people can try to have us fit into the job description they see needing to be filled, rather than something that is in alignment with our skills, talents, values and visions. Something that truly lights us up.
When we can recognize the correlation between someone else’s “you should do this” and our own “I could do this” (said in a flat monotone voice with little or no enthusiasm) we can begin to see the way out. We can see how we can let others define us.
The true power comes from when we define ourselves. The question is not whether you could do it. The truth is, you probably could, even if it is mind numbingly boring, and a waste of your gifts and talents. But, why would you want to?
It’s time to begin asking yourself questions like, “Does this ‘could’ align with my values, vision, strengths and gifts? Does it make my heart sing?” If the answer is no, find something that does. Life is too precious to live by other people’s version of what we could do. What we should do.
It’s time to get honest and ask yourself one of my favorite questions:
“What do I want to create?” In your work, your life. Do that!!