| Mistake # 1: Doing work that brings no joy or | | | | we do. The problem with this strategy is we |
| happiness Who made up the rule that says work | | | | avoid becoming self-aware and knowing WHO we |
| should bring misery. Go ahead and add up the | | | | are. When we find out, this is a much better |
| hours of "work" left in your life. Calculate | | | | story to tell ourselves and those around us. |
| up to the day you stop breathing, not the day | | | | Mistake #6: Working in a job that does not |
| you retire. A big number, isn't it? Now, how | | | | align with what is most important to you What |
| will you spend those hours? The choice is | | | | is most important to you in your life? Is it |
| yours. Mistake #2: Doing work that does not | | | | your work? The bigger the gap between your |
| align your abilities and your interests This | | | | daily activity and what is most important to |
| is huge. Think about it. If your work does | | | | you, the greater the opportunity for |
| not include an alignment of your abilities | | | | emptiness, a quick death or even worse, |
| and your interests, no wonder you feel burned | | | | RETIREMENT. Mistake # 7: Waiting for |
| out. Better to be interested in something | | | | permission Those who wait for permission to |
| that you don't have abilities in than to work | | | | change and do the work they love will have a |
| a lifetime at activities you are good, at but | | | | long wait. Permission must come from within |
| have no interest in. Mistake #3: Working for | | | | you. It is not easy but it is the only way to |
| someone else When you are working just to pay | | | | an authentic life. Mistake # 8: Becoming |
| the bills or support your family or please | | | | comfortable but not happy at work You know |
| your spouse or your parents, you are dying a | | | | the signs. You know exactly when the boss's |
| slow death. Just like the frog in the slowly | | | | report is due each week; you look forward to |
| heating pot, you won't notice at first. You | | | | the Friday night after-work social hour, and |
| are too busy working day to day to think | | | | the Christmas bonus. Deep inside however, you |
| about it. Of course you love your family and | | | | know you are fooling everyone but yourself. |
| want to help them. After 40, you have served | | | | The first step towards change is |
| society's calling. Now it is your turn to | | | | acknowledging the inner signal and doing |
| finally do what you love and enlist those | | | | something about it. Mistake # 9: Waiting for |
| around you for support. If you don't, the pot | | | | retirement to be happy So much can happen |
| will boil over before right before your eyes. | | | | between now and retirement, and it will. The |
| Mistake # 4: Staying in work that is empty | | | | ONLY people who re-tire (get ready to die) |
| and without meaning out of fear Many of us | | | | are people who don't love their work. Want to |
| fear what might happen if we take a chance. I | | | | slow down the aging process? Do what you love |
| suggest you instead look at what you have at | | | | now! Mistake #10: Deciding to pursue |
| stake if you don't change. Your life!! I can | | | | happiness outside of work I hear this one all |
| guarantee you won't die or become homeless if | | | | the time. The problem with this strategy is |
| you follow your passion and figure out now | | | | your quality of life declines with this move. |
| how to do what you love. I CAN guarantee, | | | | Eight to ten hours of working in an empty |
| however, that you will live an empty life | | | | job, or worse, an empty career, leaves you |
| without happiness if you continue to spend | | | | with very little energy left over for |
| 8-10 hours a day at just a job. And your | | | | anything fun. The other day someone asked me |
| unhappiness will affect everyone around you. | | | | how often I worked, and for how many hours. |
| Mistake # 5: Staying in a job JUST for the | | | | It was such a strange question for me. I |
| money and the perks and the title Many people | | | | didn't know what to say. It was like asking |
| do this. The money is nice. It enables us to | | | | me, how often do I breathe? Years ago, I did |
| buy stuff and stay in debt. The free coffee | | | | give a numerical answer, of course, but not |
| or laundry or discount coupons or big office | | | | anymore. So how about you? Are you working? |
| with real wood makes us feel important. The | | | | Or are you breathing life and all that it has |
| title, of course, helps us tell people what | | | | to offer? |