For about a year, I’ve been contributing to the Career Development Carnival, a monthly event hosted alternately by Hannah Morgan (@CareerSherpa) of CareerSherpa.net and Lynn Dessert (@LynnDessert) of ElephantsAtWork.com.
The Carnival spotlights relevant blog posts from various career and job search experts, giving bloggers like me more exposure and consolidating some great blog posts for job seekers, all in one place.
This month, the blog posts we contribute have a theme:
What is your favorite inspirational quote and why?
What quote moves you to action? What’s the story behind it? How has it affected you? Why are you drawn to your favorite quote?
I’ve chosen a wonderful quote from Mark Twain from a list of favorites I’ve been compiling over the years.
This one pulled at me because of the connection to personal branding and working one’s passion:
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
The value of this advice is fairly self-evident.
It nags at those who always play it safe in their careers . . . never (or rarely) taking risks . . . never being fully satisfied with the work they’ve chosen.
As a near life-long entrepreneur in various industries, I’ve been fortunate to do work that fulfills my passion for writing, and get paid for it. I’ve been able to take the risks that allow me to adjust and grow, as I branch out in new directions in my business.
Does Twain’s quote hit home with you? Does it shake you up a little and make you want to rethink your next career move?
If your career path has been unsatisfying for years, maybe it’s time to reconsider continuing to walk down the same path.
Do you fear taking that first big step to pursue your passion and get paid for work you truly love doing?
Or do you think you’re too old, and it’s too late for you to strike out in a new direction?
Maybe it’s time to get serious and create a game plan for getting there. It may not be too late to shift gears and go in another direction. You’ll never know unless you try.
Do some reading . . . talk to people doing the kind of work you want to try . . . research the possibilities.
We all deserve to work our passion.
Look for this month’s Career Development Carnival on Hannah Morgan’s blogsite, CareerSherpa.net, the week of February 18th.
Related posts:
10 Reasons To Love Your Personal Brand
Top 10 Personal Branding and Executive Job Search Blog Posts of the Year
New Year. Time To Revitalize Your Executive Career Brand
photo by Phillie Casablanca
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Yes, I have the tendency to think I’m too old or that I have missed the boat by not being more of a risk taker earlier. I still need a kick in the butt and lots of encouragement to go on.
Thanks for commenting, Doug.
It may not be too late to be a risk-taker. At the very least, you can consider and investigate different paths, and determine whether it’s worth the risk to make a move. In doing so, you may uncover things you never knew existed. What do you have to lose by just exploring?
Good luck!