I want to be decisive.

Why?

Because decisive people are the ones that change the world and succeed in life. It's hard not to admire someone who is resolute.

So how can we become more decisive?

I used to think that being decisive was about making fast decisions. I never quite understood how someone can be so sure of their decision without fully analyzing all the pros and cons. It seemed a bit reckless to me. I also thought decisiveness was something that comes with age and experience but that has been debunked by my encounters with many young people who are decisive and many older folks who are not.

Having studied the lives of decisive leaders, I found that decisiveness is directly correlated to how well you know yourself and how often you take time to self-reflect. People who are decisive already know what they want and have thought a lot about what is acceptable and not acceptable in their lives long before having to decide. That is why when it comes time to make a decision, they seem sure of themselves. When you clearly know where you stand, it is hard not to be decisive.

How often do you reflect on your values and beliefs? Do you know what is acceptable and not acceptable in your life?

From my experience and while leading the Know What You Want Career Workshop, I have noticed that many people (myself included) rarely take their time to look within. I am so busy with what is going on outside of me that it feels counterproductive to sit and think about who I am. Recently, I have consciously taken more time to learn about myself and I have noticed that I am naturally more comfortable with the decisions I make.

Take some time to self-reflect. It'll save you time in the future.

The post How to Become More Decisive appeared first on Embrace Possibility.

"I want to go for my dream job but I have (fill in obligation - i.e. bills to pay, family to feed, etc.)"

and my answer is:

"I understand. Your dream job can only be your dream job if it fulfills all your wants and needs."

Before you roll your eyes or start booing, let me elaborate.

This question usually comes up in  the beginning of the workshop when I ask the participants if there are willing to commit to pursuing their dream job if they find it.

As with most people, the answer is an obvious "yes" but realistically speaking a resounding "no" because there are bills to pay or mouths to feed. This mindset is the main reason people don't commit to or even think about getting their dream job.

This is the common misconception of a dream job. People believe a dream job is a job where you are doing what you want to do (i.e. I want to be a teacher) but that is only a small factor in what goes in your dream job. A real dream job should take into account your financial goals, the work environment, the people you will be working with in addition to your interests, strengths and personality. It is your dream job because it allows you to live the life you want. If you want to be a teacher and be rich, your dream job is not teaching elementary school.

In the Know What You Want Workshop, we focus on first identifying who you are, then giving you the strategies to research the types of jobs that will fit your criteria and lastly teaching the method to transition from where you are currently at to where you want to be.

If you don't want to or can't afford to take a workshop, you can apply these steps on your own as well. Two great books for this process is "The Pathfinder" by Nicholas Lore and "What Color is Your Parachute?" by Richard Bolles.

I hope this has open up the possibility for you to pursue your dream job!

For more information about the Know What You Want Workshop, contact me by clicking here.

The post Why Getting Your Dream Job is More Realistic Than You Think appeared first on Embrace Possibility.