You Decide!

In 2005, Walter Scheib, the White House Executive Chef, was asked to resign. He was both shocked and dismayed by the turn of events. Having served both the Clintons and the Bushes with his innovative, natural, highly regarded cuisine, he had no idea at that time that his wonderful job was going to end and he therefore had no plan for what he was going to do next. But fast forward a year and a lot of soul-searching later, and you can find that he has matched his previously hefty income, written a book, and achieved wider recognition than he thought possible. In other words, the transition was important to him and to his future. What he says now is, “I haven’t had this much fun since I was a culinary student. Everyone should do something new when they turn 50.”

He was expressing the exact sentiment that I had started to write about when I read his story in the Washington Post. I believe that people should continually evaluate what they are doing and try something new when it is clear to them that what they have done isn’t working any longer OR doesn’t fit as well as when they started OR they want to be more challenged. The reason does not need an explanation – it only requires action.

Change can come from a variety of ways. It doesn’t mean giving up a job, or a relationship or a location or a lifestyle. It may mean taking on a new cause or finding satisfaction from learning a new skill. It may mean bringing a little used skill to the forefront. It may mean going deeper into your relationship with a spouse, child or friend. It could mean visiting someplace that you have never been or trying a sport that you haven’t tried. The newness is so individual that it only depends on the person that is developing the idea and it is only he/she who will know what will instill excitement and joy. Living one’s life to its fullest capacity requires finding the next step and then the next and then the one after that. It’s a never-ending and truly magnificent part of our journey on earth.

Scheib’s transformation was foist upon him. He was out of work and he had to find replacement income and he happens to have done it successfully – with style and panache.

But…What if Mr. Scheib had decided that it was time for his next career move and gone to the First Lady in 2004 and given ample notice before moving on? Isn’t it better to decide what to do next rather than turn that power over to someone else? Don’t we all wish that we had taken the necessary action steps to come up with something new before someone or some situation shocked us into taking the lead in our own lives? I know from my own personal experience that I have had to make changes because I stayed somewhere too long or I was in a place for the wrong reason and wasn’t willing to do what was necessary to remove myself. In other words, I was being reactive not proactive. And that’s the point of this article.

Doing something new is either an active decision or a passive one. I know, with absolute certainty, that making bold, decisive moves creates an interesting and productive journey. Letting things happen may be easier but it is not as satisfying or even glorifying.

Many of us often see clearly that a move is necessary in order to grow and flourish in our lives but we either ignore the initial signals or choose what we consider a safer path. Change can be scary. We often cannot even explain why we want the change but in the deepest part of ourselves, we know that movement is necessary and sometimes when we get these messages, we work against them. Mr. Scheib: did you see the handwriting on the wall – were there avenues you could not pursue while you were employed by the White House? I’ll bet the answer is yes. In his case, being asked to leave did not affect his potential. But for others it might have.

Our power lies in learning to trust ourselves to do what is absolutely right for us. It doesn’t have to synch with what others want us to do but what feels like the best action for ourselves. Then when we do our best we are at our best for others too. And once we take action for ourselves so much conspires to help us out in our endeavor. Great philosophers and outstanding minds have been advising us to do this for hundreds of years. The world seems to be moving so much faster now that we really have to stay on our toes and we may need to make more changes than our families before us made. So be it.

We absolutely must decide for ourselves what we need based on our own feelings and the best understanding of our path that we can summon.

Go. Go with gusto! The dividends are enormous.

Beth Cole is a small business advisor, coach, and speaker. Her website is: http://www.beth-cole.com As president of the Women's Business Center in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, she provided training, counseling and advice to hundreds of small business owners for six years. An SBA award-winner for her advocacy and support of women-owned businesses, she helps her clients think big, do big and be big. In her coaching practice, she is both a great listener and a cheerleader to her clients. She trusts their wisdom and helps them bring it forth for their success and happiness. Nothing makes her happier than to see those she is helping achieve their greatness. We know for sure that it's our brilliance that frightens us and it is up to us bring our glory to others. To contact the author, please write beth@beth-cole.com