Contributed by Ariane Hunter, Career & Business Coach

AH - Different_Flight Instructions

Do you want to be the same or do you want to be different?

Those words echoed and reverberated through my core the first time I heard them months ago. I was in a coaching session with my mentor and founder of the organization I work with, MBA Coach. Through that conversation, I realized just how much my inherited perceptions at the time were based on should’s and external messages that were picked up along the way and unconsciously showed up 100% of the time in everything I did.  Talk about a-ha moment. These internal messages can determine whether or not you embrace challenges, share your own ideas, and even how you manage money.

If we keep doing what we’ve always done, we will always end up getting what we always get. This holds true in your career, in your personal life, and even in your romantic relationships. By adopting the attitudes of others without seeing how it serves you, we open the door for disappointment, struggle, and quite honestly mediocre living.  You often hear stories of successful people from humble beginnings that had the same experience as their neighbor, but were somehow able to carve out a different path for their lives. A wonderful example that comes to mind is Jay-Z. One, of if not the most successful rapper around who grew up having nothing yet transformed his existence into being a pioneer in the entertainment industry. Oprah.  She experienced a traumatic childhood enduring physical and emotional abuse but rose to be one of the most syndicated daytime talk show host ever.

Jay-Z & Oprah; two media moguls that took the world by storm and created success that exists beyond our wildest dreams. How did Jay-Z and Oprah do that?  They are people just like you and I. What made them able to be different then others who had gone through similar plights?

They decided to be different.

Oftentimes when deciding to make a positive change for ourselves it is preceded by pain or exhaustion from feeling locked or stuck in repetitive action. It’s as if something finally clicks and sparks a shift in mindset. We no longer want to be in pain any more. The status quo is not good enough any more and we begin to repair what is broken.  We no longer want to be defined and ruled by hardship, but rather by our rise to meet and overcome it.

We all have ways in which we’d like to be different. Some of us wish to have a different job description. A different salary. A different response to the way we handle stress and fear. What beliefs do you have about being different?

  • Others will criticize me.
  • I don’t have enough expertise in that area.
  • There are no jobs out there.
  • I won’t make enough money as an artist, teacher, >> fill in the blank with your dream job<<.

We all have enough damaging beliefs to fill an ocean that keep us feeling stuck and locked in.

If you were bold, confident, wise, strong, assertive, calm, empathetic, giving, determined in your decisions, what could happen? You would be different. You would have broken the status quo.

And so I ask you: Do You Want To Be The Same or Do You Want To Be Different?

Keep me posted on how it goes ariane@arianehunter.com

Ariane Hunter Headshot

 

Ariane the career & business coach for career conscious women who are visionaries and committed to honoring their career goals. What she does best is holistically connect the dots of your deepest sense of purpose and align them with your career goals to help you do fulfilling and personally satisfying work. To learn more about her work visit www.arianehunter.com or contact her at ariane@arianehunter.com.

Photo Credit: Christina Prat Masses