Book Byte #48 "I Could Do Anything if Only Knew What it Was" by Barbara Sher
How to Discover What You Really Want and How to Get It
📣 Curious Quotes from the Author:
“What you're really supposed to be doing is whatever makes your heart sing.”
“Every time you have to make a choice about anything, think "Does this go toward or away from what I want?" Always choose what goes toward what you want.”
“How can families harm us when they love us? Very easily, unfortunately. Most of us overlook one important fact when we think love is enough: Love and respect aren't the same thing. Love is fusion. As a baby, you belong to your parents, you're extension of them. Respect is differentiation: you belong to yourself, and you're an extension of no one. Differentiation is essential for happiness of adults.”
“Every time you worry that you could get trapped in some kind of work you don't care about, you're dealing with the problem of meaningfulness. I guarantee that in the back of your mind is the thought that somehow you have to make a contribution to something, be acknowledged, do something that matters--or you're just fooling around.”
“You must go after your wish. As soon as you start to pursue a dream, your life wakes up and everything has meaning.”
“You can learn new things at any time in your life if you’re willing to be a beginner. If you actually learn to like being a beginner, the whole world opens up for you.”
“You just have to forget whatever you were taught about “meaningful work” and start noticing whatever has meaning to you.”
“Bitterness isn’t as authentic as it looks. Believe it or not, one of the reasons we choose to feel bitter is because it’s easier than feeling pain. It makes us feel tough. Being bitter gives the illusion that you’re fighting, that you’re not taking defeat lying down. But bitterness is a log jam. It won’t let you get moving.”
“Remember that to yourself, you are and always will be the strongest element in your environment. That’s why any job, right or wrong, will teach you important lessons about yourself. The truth is that personal development is the real reason you should be working in the first place.”
“Parents have their own dreams—and it’s those dreams they’re pushing, not yours. In their heads, they have images of successful sons and beautiful wealthy daughters, children who are impressive—and secure. Very few parents have the luxury, the calmness of spirit, to realize that the most practical thing any child can do is to find its own vision—and follow it.”
“If you’re burned out, learning something new or doing something creative is the cure.”
📚 Cognition of the Book’s Big Idea:
While it may be simple that the first step in achieving your goals in life is determining what they are, for many of us, determining that desire is the entire problem. Fortunately, you can solve it by identifying your specific difficulties and tailoring your strategy accordingly.
If you place too much trust in what you believe to be "safe," taking even little steps will help you open up new options. Maybe you "won" your race but were miserable at the finish line. You have the option of pursuing something else. Other times, situations beyond your control, such as losing a dream career or a loved one, may require you to adjust after you've already accomplished many goals.
Regardless of your problems or circumstances, you can use both to find meaning and persevere.
🛠️Fixing the Tech Industry
A lot of us as we progress in our careers, start with a whole lot of curiosity in our backpacks. As we continue in our Career Journey, we get beat down and taken advantage of. Maybe some of the time we’re treated right, but whatever your work is, it’s a commodity, most people in the job force are replaceable.
The only way you’ll become irreplaceable is in the relationships and connections you make as a human being. By reaching out to your network to help solve problems, you are offering your help, and with that mentality, people will take you up on it. You’ll receive goodwill in return and you’ll have found your path through the ups and downs caused by greedy leaders and colleagues that are asleep.
🤝Collaborate with others with this Social Media Prompt:
You determine what success looks like to you. Don’t ever let anyone tell you what success is supposed to be, or worse, don’t let them tell you you don’t have it or never will. What is one thing you can do daily something that will magnify your successes to help you see that they are there?
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