Friday, May 14, 2021 (Day 134)
Meditation Music for the week: I Am Willing: Liquid Mind (7:56) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dJIsrvL80Q
Question: How important is your career to you, and why?
Answer: An interesting question, because for me, Life Design Catalyst work is more than my “career” – it’s how I live my life. When I think about careers, I think about job titles and advancement, and I have no interest in any of that any more. In my younger days, it mattered much more. But now, it’s all about doing work that matters. I also believe that if you do work that adds value to others and that changes lives, you’ll be rewarded. I remember coming to UNCG in 2007 to take a lesser title (from Assistant Dean to Coordinator) and a pay cut (about $12,000) to be able to create something special with coaching. And now, with Life Design Catalyst work, I have been able to create value for the students I serve at UNCG as well as those outside UNCG. As we spread the work, more and more people are climbing on board – and that’s very exciting to see. I can honestly say that I’m lead by the work, not by the money. And as I get older and closer to “retirement” – whatever that means – I’m finding more of a need to do work that matters AND have a greater impact. It’s one thing to impact a particular school, it’s another thing to impact an entire district or system. We’re moving in the right direction, as we have presentations and/or meetings with the Maricopa County Community College District in Arizona and (hopefully) the North Carolina Community College District. No titles for me…just let me do the work and I’ll be good.
Other Stuff
I feel so fortunate that I get to read lots of cool articles and books every day. I try to find something interesting in everything that I read, if it sometimes hits me in the face pretty hard. This morning, I read an article that was about not so great people. The first time I went through it, I read it for the information. The second time I read it, I looked at it through the lens of how people might see me – and although I was okay for the most part, I found a few items on the list that are yellow – and maybe even red – flags for me. Here’s the article:
- 9 Subtle Signs a Person Is Not So Great – https://medium.com/mind-cafe/9-subtle-signs-a-person-is-not-so-great-985247617992
If you get a chance, check out the article and see if any of the ideas apply to you – might be a good way to examine your life right now.
The Dream Dean 