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Doing what you love so much that it doesn’t feel like work is the ultimate dream for any business owner or employee. It is what provides the inspiration to keep on going.
This week’s Biz Buzz programme featured guests who are both making a transition into doing what they really love.
Diane Owen was a highly successful and well-paid banker in the City (in the days whe bankers were highly regarded>) She particularly enjoyed working internationally, both for the travel and the contacts and also for the intellectual interest. Gradually she realised she did not want to go back to the office when she had been outside at lunch time, and the whisper of discontent became a roar until she handed in her notice in order to be outside more in the open air. She then trained as a fitness instructor and subsequently had her family.
Mary Fraser my other guest was (quite coincdentally) part of Diane’s dance class when she was gaining her qualifications. She attested to the fact that Diane is a skilful dance leader, but Diane’s journey towards what will fulfill her more is still continuing. She is now determined to become a mountain leader and is improving fitness in order to take the qualifications. Not all parts of the plan are tied down due to family responsibilites but – as you would expect from a successful corporate performer – she has a very clear goal and action steps to get there! She is blogging about her physical and metaphoric journey to the mountains.
Mary Fraser has a successful HR business but although loving working with her clients her deeper satisfaction comes from helping children. She has set up the Poppyfields project which gives children going through problems the space to talk, paint and express what they may find difficult to say at home. She quoted the example of a boy from a loving family who found it difficult to talk about his mother’s illness, and that the mother appreciated that he had a space away from the family to be heard. Mary works in conjuction with schools, so that all aspects of a child’s life are integrated.
We talked about the importance of saying Yes to the thing you really want, and letting go of what may be safe or comfortable. In terms of building their existing business, both Diane and Mary are continuing to work with existing clients but their energy is with the new project and the new opportunities.
