The first time I came across Adam Poswolsky’s breakthrough book project was through his Indiegogo campaign where he explained what the book is about and more importantly why he was writing it. I was immediately hooked from the moment I watched the trailer video because I felt he was talking to me personally addressing questions like:
Have you ever felt stuck knowing you need to make a change in your life but you are too afraid to take the leap?
How do you know it’s time to quit from a mediocre job that no longer inspires you?
Are you reaching the end of your 20’s not knowing who you are and what you want from life?
Can you really spend your days doing something that inspires you allowing you to make an impact uniquely to your gifts?
After watching the video, I signed up to be notified about updates from the book and just a couple of weeks ago I got an email from Adam with the PDF file of the first edition.
How exciting!!!
I went to a local cafeteria and spent the entire afternoon reading the book.
I believe this is the book that millennials have been asking for years!
In his book, Adam talks about:
Intentional Experimentation
Adam shares the lessons he has learned throughout his journey of intentional learning and experimentation. He shares the purpose of inspiring and empowering young people to realize that career experimentation is not a waste of time when it’s done with the purpose of getting closer to your true self.
The book made me realize it’s ok to experiment with different things when you know you need to make a change in your life but feel stuck! Experimentation takes us one step closer to aligning our true self with our gifts.
At one point in my life, I felt stuck in a job I didn’t like and wasn’t true to my gifts and true self . I settled for mediocrity because I didn’t know any better. I was just checking off days waiting for something to happen. It was then when I realized that I had the power to change my reality at any point in my life. The book made me think about what I really care about and how I want to use the time I have to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
We grow by the questions we ask ourselves
Throughout the book, you will find small exercises that will help you get in touch you’re your true self. One of the many exercises is looking for answers to important questions we rarely ask ourselves:
Who am I?
What do I want?
What do you love about yourself?
Why am I here?
What is my purpose?
What do I care about?
Does anything get me fired up?
What contributions do I want to make to the world?
The tricky part about the answer to these questions is that a year from now all the answers might be different. What matters is to embrace the journey to get closer to what you want to give to the world.
We should constantly ask ourselves these questions and listen to our inner voice, somehow it already knows where we are headed.
Career ladder mindset VS breakthrough career mindset
Like most of us, I grew up with the American dream lecture from my parents: go to college, climb the corporate ladder, find a well-paying job, and retire at 65. At one point, this didn’t make sense anymore but I felt trapped. Luckily, I started surrounding myself with people who refuse to settle for mediocrity. They want to do something that inspires them aligned with their gifts. This book has helped me understand it’s ok to jump in any direction that makes sense given my purpose. There’s no more linear career path, only a breakthrough career mindset. You figure out your next steps as you go aligning your actions with your purpose and surrounding yourself with people holding you accountable to your goals.
Gratitude
Sometimes in times when we feel stuck or during a transition it’s easy to forget about the things we have. We are so worried about a future that might never come. Instead, it’s important to be thankful for the things and people we have in our lives. No matter how bad things get, there are always people willing to help out if we have the courage to ask and that’s something to be thankful for. Who are the people you are thankful for in your life? Go ahead and express your gratitude to them, it will make you feel better.
Meaningful Work
Meaningful work is all about doing work that reflects your interests and allows you to share your gifts. This is to help others living in alignment with your purpose surrounded by supportive communities.
Breakthroughs
Breakthroughs are all about figuring out what the next step is and having a supportive community holding you accountable to your goals.
They are all about refusing to settle for mediocrity.
They are not enough if you don’t invest time, money, or both in developing your character to achieve that breakthrough.
Look for the people who have already done it
If you don’t know what door to knock, there are always people who can show you the door; there are always people who have done what you are attempting to accomplish. It’s important to look for mentors that can serve as guides while we find our own path through this journey.
Accountability
It’s important to share our plans and breakthroughs with others who share our values and believe in our potential to increase chances of success.
Life is a never ending journey but the time for intentional learning, experimentation, and action is now.
Go. For. It.
Image Credit: www.someecards.com
