Faster Than the Current

“You know about boats. You can’t steer if you’re not going faster than the current. If you’re not under your own steam then yer just debris, stuff floating.”

Tim Winton, Cloudstreet

Change is so difficult. You first must decide the direction to head and then overcome inertia. It is frightening; for with each change comes the loss of some things and the gain of others. The unknowns – “is this the right thing to do”, “what if I fail” – can easily grow out of proportion with the possible outcomes. Finally, if inertia has not kept you in place, habits often draw you back.

The reality is that the world is changing. Our bodies are aging. Our jobs are redefined in response to the latest quarterly earnings report. Our boss moves on and the focus shifts. Our companies are bought or sold. Our friends, as well, see their lives changes. The needs of our children change from year-to-year, if not day-to-day. The world around us whether weather, technology, the latest war, medical advances, moves forward at in inexorable pace. Isaac Asimov said, “It is change, continuing change, inevitable change that is the dominant factor in society today.” The current of change is tremendous.

Perhaps it becomes important when contemplating change to consider the current. “If you’re not under your own steam then yer just debris, stuff floating.” When we stick with the safety of inertia, we’re just drifting, floating like some debris. Only when we’re under our own power, we will be able to manage the change and have some level of control.

If you have been drifting along with the current of change, gaining control of the boat may take some time. Asking yourself to define your passion and deciding where and how you want to live all at once may be too much.

Begin with just a few questions:
1. What adjectives would like used to describe you? Examples might be: caring, compassionate, professional, successful, creative, powerful, trustworthy.

2. As you look at the elements of a Wheel of Life, over the next few years, where do want to place your emphasis?

3. If your life were to come to an abrupt end in 5 years, you were described by your answers to question 1, and had accomplished much in the areas of life you emphasized in question 2, would you feel that you had lived the right way for you? If not, you may want to re-evaluate your answers.

4. Create a dream map, by drawing, cutting out pictures, or making a list of all of the things, people and feelings you would like to have in your life. Work this picture until all of the parts truly reflect what you want for yourself.

What are some (small) steps that you can take that move you out of the current into steering your ship in the direction of the person you will be, with the right emphasis, to realize your dreams?


Winton, Tim. Cloudstreet. Ringwood, Victoria: Penguin Books Australia, 1991.

"This is Your Life"

This is your life, are you who you want to
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be
When the world was younger and you had everything to lose

Switchfoot, “This is Your Life”,
The Beautiful Letdown
Release date: February 25, 2003.

When did you last revisit the dreams of your youth? How far have you drifted from your dreams?

Take this challenge.

Give yourself permission to dream as though you were a child and the world was younger. Trust that there are no constraints on what you can do. Your height doesn’t matter if you want to be a basketball player. Your risk aversion doesn’t matter if you want to fly to distant stars. You can be or do anything you want. When you are in that space, answer the question.

If you could be or do anything you want what would you be or do?

Sit with your answer. Keep your judgment on hold. Remember, right now, there are no constraints.

After sitting with your answer, add details. When you are being or doing what you want, picture your surroundings, identify the people (or type of people) around you, and name the actions that fill your time. If possible, construct a representation of this world; this can be in the form of a mind-map, collage, journal entries, drawings, or whatever works best for you.

In your mind, take yourself to that place of being or doing. What do you feel? What are the benefits that you gain? How do you feel about them? If possible, find ways to add the feelings to your representation.

Study your picture for a time. Add more depth of the details, explore the feelings and try to make the benefits more concrete.

What part of your dream could you bring into your life?

What steps could you take that would allow you to test the possibilities in that dream?

In the beginning verse of the song, we hear “This is your life, and today is all you’ve got now.” If your life is not what you dreamed it would be, you have the choices of today to make. What choice could you make today that brings you closer to that dream?

Copyright 2006 Sherry L. Read, All Rights Reserved

Choose to Chance the Rapids

Stuck in a job
Difficult boss
Invested in the company
Scared to leave
Frustrated by the bureaucracy
Just doing the job

In The River, Garth Brooks sings, “too many times we stand aside and let the waters slip away.” When we’re caught in a job, feeling stuck, hating to go to work, but afraid to leave, we’re letting the waters slip away, letting time go by.

Recapturing the dream may seem too far away, so take small steps into the water. Start by drawing up some lists.

1. Make a list of 10 things or more that you love about your job.
   If you can’t come up with 10 things about your current job, then go a bit further back to when you had energy for your work.
   
   
2. List 5 times when you were very proud of your work.
   Write down the elements of the work, e.g., challenging, great team, easy, recognition.
   
   
3. List 3 actions that you would love to take in your job right now.
   Make a note of the benefit each would bring to you.
   
   
4. Make a list of all of the things you would like to do.

Find a spot where you can lay these lists out in front of you and let your eyes wander quietly over the pages. As you slow let your eyes wander over the pages, begin to identify what elements or concepts seem to be repeating?

Write those down.

Go back over the lists. Do your eyes wander back to a certain phrase or thought? Add it to your new list.

As you think about the lists, do you feel a stronger sense of energy or excitement for any particular concept. Make sure it’s on your list and possibly highlighted.

What would it be like if you had more of these items in your life?

Give yourself some time to imagine and feel what that might be like.

What is one step that you could take today that will give you more of something on your list?

Can you put your toe in the water? Can you move toward your dream?

Too many times we stand aside
And let the waters slip away
‘Til what we put off ‘til tomorrow
Has now become today
So don’t you sit upon the shoreline
And say you’re satisfied
Choose to chance the rapids
And dare to dance the tide...*

If you would like help to chance the rapids, visit us at http://www.readsolutionsgroup.com/ to learn more about how coaching can help you get unstuck.


*Shaw, Victoria and Garth Brooks, The River, Gary Morris Music/Major Bob Music Co, Inc, 1991.