There is no ‘right’ way to do things
In this post, I discuss how fluid the world is when it comes to following a different path – and how there’s no one ‘right’ way to do things either in your career, business or in your life.
Do you have an inherent belief that there's a 'right’ way to do things in your career, business or life? Does it prevent you from moving forward when you’re not exactly sure what the ‘right’ way is?
If so, you’re not alone. At school and growing up, and often in our careers, we’re taught that there’s a black and white way of doing something – put simply, there’s a ‘right’ way and a ‘wrong’ way. You’re a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ girl or boy, and your IQ and results are judged by how well you can follow instruction and absorb and repeat learned information.
Usually this ‘right’ way has been constructed and implemented on a mass scale, not accounting for creativity, individualisation or innovation. It was born of the industrial era and we’re still trying to squeeze this square peg into a round hole.
In business, in our careers, and in life, unlike what we learn to understand, there’s no ‘right’ way to do things. There are ways that are tried and tested, for sure; there are methods of doing things that will help to propel you in a certain direction; there’s specific things that you can learn that will lead to a certain outcome; but ultimately we all need to pave our own paths.
In fact, this is way more true than ever in today’s era of innovation, or what Accenture’s Paul Daugherty in this article calls the ‘post-digital world’ where digital isn’t over; rather, companies seek a way to set themselves apart in an age of digital competency.
I believe that this is also true of ourselves as individuals and within our careers. Thinking that there’s a ‘right’ way to do everything based on what we learn for the first 21-plus years of our lives can create a discontinuity with how we feel about ourselves and our careers, and what we truly want to do in the world.
We feel that we should follow traditional career paths and the lives our society lays out for us as ideal, and every step of the way we are taught by society that there’s something wrong with us that needs to be fixed so that we buy products.
The insecurity that this creates subconsciously over many years, both for men and women, that tells us we are not enough as we are, ensures that we further doubt our intuition and our ability to choose our own individual career paths.
Then we get to 30, or 40, or beyond and we start to wonder what our purpose in the world is. What we were meant to be doing to begin with. Why we set out on this specific path that’s now so difficult to unravel.
What I’ve learnt is that our purpose is to be of service and give our gifts to the world.
If we can find a way to do this and simultaneously make an income, be surrounded by people that value and respect us, and take care of ourselves and our families in terms of wellbeing, finances and spirit – well, isn’t that success?
It’s not to struggle, dislike and question what we’re doing every day and allow ourselves to be coerced by society and others into what we should do.
There’s no right way to do things. Make decisions based on what feels right to you, and what you love to do. Follow that path as the breadcrumbs are laid out before you. Don’t wait for someone else to tell you what to do or who to be, and don’t walk blindly into a career hoping that it’s going to make you happy.
You know that feeling you get when something lights you up – when you’re in a state of ‘flow’ and it feels so easy that it shouldn’t even be a possibility that you could get paid for it because you love to do it so much?
This is exactly where you must explore. This is exactly where you can start looking to create your new career.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE LIVING YOUR PURPOSE?
I help you pivot to a successful career that transforms your life, your community and the world, either in a job you love or a business you own.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MY CAREER PIVOT PACKAGES TO WORK WITH ME 1:1 HERE.
