With 2020 now behind us, now what?  Things are different, but in so many ways they are the same and some argue they are worse. But change is good. Glad we agree, because it is going to keep happening whether we like it or not. 🙂 

Words fail us. “Unprecedented, existential, volatile, chaotic and psychotic….” Once I found the word “apocalypse” I knew what I was experiencing. The original Greek definition of APOCALYPSE: “an unveiling or unfolding of things not previously known and which could not be known apart from the unveiling”. 

There you have it: an APOCALYPSE! A global, societal, community and personal apocalypse! And what do the revelations tell us? And more important, what will we do about them? 

We must stop being distracted by the fear of a far-fetched future, hoping for the return of a nostalgic past that was never that good and start focusing on what is right now, right in front of us. If you say something to the effect of–“Think I am going to wait for things to settle down….when this COVID thing ends….” Slap yourself up side the head right now! This is the time! 

The challenge is in every moment, and the time is always now. James Baldwin 

Maybe you have had a real awakening and you know what to do. Or maybe you are waking up and you want some help. Regardless, we need an action plan. A plan to take steps toward career and life change. Not just good motives and intentions, but the agency to act!

Stop wandering about! Get busy with life’s purpose, toss aside empty hopes, get active in your own rescue–if you care for yourself at all–and do it while you can. ” Marcus Aurelius

Words matter. I use the word “career”  carefully. Personally I don’t like it. It is part of the lexicon of conformity  that can connote that work becomes the dominant and defining part of life. You are not your job and certainly not your job title. Too often the career portion kills the rest of the life thing. “Career” has its roots in French and Latin. And generally understood to mean a race course, a path and even a cart. Most race courses are loops where you go round and round and never really get anywhere. That’s why I don’t like the word! Lily Tomlin said, “Even if you win the rat race you are still a rat.” Too often the career is about more. More money, more status, more power, more ego…..Fancier, more powerful “carts” that are all going faster nowhere.

Now what? 2021 has to be the time to reflect and act on these reflections–these revelations. To get off the rat race course and pursue your internal moral compass. To redefine your life course, to re-align your life with who you are not by things you want. To rescue yourself. This is not the stuff of fantasies, this is real life. The best time for you to become part of the apocalyptic changes.

Check out my new website that is devoted to your self assessment, reflection, and action plan. To use this career apocalypse to open your heart and mind to designing and living a life that is driven by you.

Thanks for reading. John