Question right at the beginning of this story for you. How many of you at 16 knew exactly what you wanted to do in life and are doing it? I am curious because at 16, I couldn’t see past Friday night. Took me until about 36 to finally get past that, but I did, yay me. Or at 21, did you know what you wanted to do and are doing it now?
Let me phrase it this way—At 16, did you know what you did not want to do? Or 21, did you figure out that same question of knowing you didn’t want to do that? Whatever that may be. It is a little unfair to put an age on this question because I think it can be any age we can figure out something we don’t want to do.
For me, it hit me about a year ago when I sashayed into corporate America and got a job. My brain was telling me this was going to be a great thing but my heart was telling me quite the opposite. The brain won the battle starting out and I was eager to get going. Soon, the realization was that I was an awful corporate America employee. I think awful is being generous to me. I was the worst.
One day, soon after starting, the 16 year old Joe called me and said, “What are you doing? You told me all those years ago that 9-5 will not be you and now, look. Stop it.” The 16 year old Joe was pretty dumb but not this time. He was correct and the ‘what are you doing’ keep resonating in my head over and over.
Long story short, I left corporate America and thank God, found my way back to what makes me truly happy. I realized this—I had to figure out what I didn’t want, before I truly found out what I did want. Yes, grateful for the experience in ‘working’ in corporate America, but, once you realize it is not for you, then instead of griping and moaning and using all that negative energy, turn it around and use that positive energy to find what makes you happy.
Also, if I never have to be on a TEAMS meeting the rest of my life, that would be a huge blessing. Huge.
Trust me, you can find it. Mine was a lot of prayer and late night conversations with God where I am sure He was thinking ‘oh boy.’ Read this again slowly—Sometimes you have to find out what don’t want before you find out what you do want. And, when you do find what you want, if you went that route, you will so grateful it will almost make you cry.
Ask, seek and knock. My favorite bible verse that I talk about all the time. Luke 11:9. Go be happy and it doesn’t matter what you do. Again, once you realize what you don’t want, you are on the correct path.
As I was driving to work one morning when I was in the corporate world and stuck on I-40 West by airport, it began to rain and rain hard. Of course it was a Monday which summed it all up. I was listening to a Jimmy Buffett song that came on and this lyric hit me hard, “When you are back to work at your 9 to 5 and it is pouring rain on your morning drive, you will remember when you were last alive.” I got chills and for me, that was the moment.
You will read here and there about some rich stockbroker who gave all his money away and quit Wall Street so he could raise pigs, or whatever and do you know what they all say when asked why? Yes, I have never been happier.
Go. Be. Happy. Keep asking. Keep seeking. Keep knocking.
