Life Entrepreneur: A New Vision for Ourselves

What is it that keeps us doing the same things over and over, expecting to get a different result?  Yes, that is the well-known definition of insanity, but it is also a glib cliché that few of us actually pay attention to in relation to our own lives.

As human beings, safety and security are high on our values.  From the time we first walked on the planet, we took shelter, foraged for food and secured our positions in our communities.  Our lives, when we get down to it, are very oriented toward those basic needs.

And when we take a job, we have a strong tendency to secure ourselves in the position.  This takes myriad forms, depending on what other factors are affecting our psyches.  The most conservative among us will tend to not rock the boat, keep on keeping on, so to speak, and may not advance very high on the career ladder, but keeping the job, the regular paycheck and the order they’ve established us usually paramount.  Others are more risk oriented, and will take bigger chances, challenge themselves and the status quo to keep moving up in the organization.  Most of us are somewhere in between those two extremes.

But one thing we all have in common is that we tend to not take action when we need a break.  Sure we may talk about it, dream about it, may even have a well thought-out plan secretly held in our wishful thinking folder of what we could do if we didn’t have to work.  But, especially in an era of job losses and less job security, we hold back and just keep on plugging along.

What if we worked for a company that encouraged taking time away?  What if it didn’t put our jobs at risk?  What if we understood the benefits of taking a step back, doing a mental and emotional re-group, then returned to our jobs renewed of mind and spirit?

I’ve been writing a series on what it means to be a Life Entrepreneur, and I’m revising some of the blogs to be posted here on the yourSABBATICAL.com site.  The purpose is to help people see themselves a little differently, to get inspired to consciously carve out the life they would love to be living instead of settling for less—slogging along feeling somewhat stymied and less fulfilled.

Part of my life purpose is to bring alchemy (the science of turning lead into gold) into practical daily life experience.  The lead that we carry around is more about self-limiting beliefs and lack of conscious life purpose.  It keeps us trapped on our own little merry-go-rounds, revolving through life instead of evolving in our awareness and abilities.  Taking a sabbatical, stepping back and out into more can give you a new lease on your life, bring that refreshed, energized self back into the workplace and give you an opportunity to bring more of your authentic self into your work.

Margery Miller, owner of PeopleBiz Inc. is a coach and business consultant and is currently writing a series of blogs encouraging people to see themselves as Life Entrepreneurs. For more information see margerymiller.com, or write to her at margery@peoplebiz.com.