If you don’t know why you’re doing something, stop doing it.
I’m not sure where or when that phrase came into my life, but it has stuck with me. Clear, simple and yet, not anyone’s motto or creed. We Americans, we do a lot, always doing more and more.
I came to my stop doing it moment recently with my job. I felt stuck and like I wasn’t making progress on my life. I wasn’t moving towards any goal I had – wasn’t building the skills for the type of job I wanted, wasn’t making enough money to have a nest egg or a house, wasn’t happy or healthy. I didn’t have any energy or drive to work on my personal projects. I was in a morass.
Ergo the stop doing it moment. I gave notice and walked away last week, without a new job but a goal to work for myself, for others, and on making my life and others lives better. Just up and away and I feel so much better. Already, I have more challenging work, more meaningful interactions with those I work with, the time and leisure to take a walk before work to brainstorm, to work a little Sunday night to take Tuesday afternoon off, to stop and make myself something delicious to eat and to take the time to eat, just eat, instead of shoving food with my left hand while mousing with my right.
I was lucky. I knew a place to give me freelance work, a partner who was supportive and could cover most of our bills, and saving enough to cover the rest. I also had the certainty of pessimism. I knew that I wouldn’t ever get those skills or make that money. If I waited for the economy to get better, I would stuck waiting. Thus the question, for me, was simply if not now, then when?
Most people don’t have that option, at least for their jobs. They know why they’re doing it – money, health insurance, stability. But I do think everyone has a stop doing it moment in their lives, waiting for recognition.
What would you do with that part of your life/time/energy/self that you got back?
