There’s something exciting about a tomorrow.
It’s an amazing, wonderful, optimistic, important thought that some of the best days of our lives haven’t happened yet. We’ve all heard the wonderful words from the Broadway hit, “Annie,” with lines from a song that proudly proclaims, “The sun will come out tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there’ll be sun.”
Regardless of where you are in life’s journey and irrespective of what you’ve accomplished to date, every single day provides you the opportunity do something new. Most importantly, you’ll be successful doing something new when you use the patterns that previously proved successful or the lessons you hopefully learned from past failures. Success typically breeds additional success if you repeat the pattern, emulate the model and remember the steps you took in the journey. By the same token, failure is just as important inasmuch as it should teach us what actions not to repeat and how to do it all differently next chance.
My wife, Kim, and I constantly tell our children and our grandchildren, “We pray you make new mistakes!” Every one of us makes mistakes. The key is not to dwell on the mistake but to learn from it and avoid making the same ones again. After all, isn’t insanity doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?
Goal-oriented people are always seeking the next step, the next challenge and the next venture (perhaps adventure). Focusing on “what’s next” keeps our blood pumping and gives us something new to do, to try, to learn and to explore.
A simple, yet pragmatic, system can help you decide “what’s next” and what new (or renewed) quest you should pursue.
- Clear your head. Singer Jimmy Buffet talks about clearing one’s head with “mental floss.” Take a walk, run a mile, go biking, go hiking, or do whatever you love to do that is mindless and provides you time to just plain think.
- Draft a list of alternatives. From the ridiculous to the sublime, write that list with energy, creativity, and spirit. Remember you’ll eventually be rereading and reviewing the list and eliminating options until you’re down to a handful of real choices (ideally two).
- Edit, edit, and re-edit your list. Eliminate absurd or unrealistic items. Eliminate those items that are just not important activities and simply “nice to do” items. After all, many things in life will catch your eye but only a few will catch your heart.
- Pre-search and research like crazy. In business, we call this “due diligence.” Study everything about your “next” endeavor and the goal you’re thinking about pursuing. What is the investment necessary? How will it change and challenge your life and status quo? Is it realistic for you and something you can be passionate about?
- Validation is vital. Once you’ve done your research, you’ll be ready to make a fact-based decision about “what’s next.” Now it’s time for validation. Remember, you don’t know what you don’t know. Find others who followed the very same, or similar, goals, aspirations and activities you’re thinking about pursuing. Study them, shadow them and most importantly, see how they’re doing it (whatever “it” might be). Things aren’t what they seem. Learn from others.
- Clear your head a second time. There’s no substitute for deep thinking. After all, you’re about to go through the process of making your next move and next life, or business, commitment. This is important stuff. Think hard. In the words of the late, legendary women’s basketball coach, Pat Summitt, “Left foot. Right foot. Breathe.” Take a thoughtful step-by-step approach to goal-setting. Think, breathe and perhaps even meditate before making your decision.
- Lights, camera, action! Yes, it’s time for action. Make a commitment to yourself. Never forget that “commitment” is an act, not a word. There can be no success, no accomplishment and no new achievements if you are not fully vested and committed to the task at hand. Nike said it well, “Just Do It!”
The great news about seeking next steps and pursuing new opportunities is that the choices are never-ending. If you’re seeking a new or second career or are starting a new business venture, those endless choices will likely be somewhat in sync with your personal skill sets, interests, financial status, education, network, opportunities and more. On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with taking a chance, venturing out of your comfort zone and trying something totally unrelated to your previous life (and lifestyle). Also, when you are considering what has been aptly called a “bucket list” opportunity, those choices are as wide and deep as the Atlantic Ocean.
Most “next steps” provide you another important opportunity to learn. After all, when you’re through learning, you’re through!
Again, your choices are never-ending and most importantly, what you decide to do is purely and completely your choice. You own them exclusively.
My suggestion is to find a “next” opportunity designed to help you rise, thrive and gain experiences. Yes, the choice process can be filled with confusion, stress and anxiety simply because there is no end to the opportunities and you might be entering uncharted territory. However, the personal pride one gets for doing something new is a great reward unto itself.
And so, isn’t it time for you to “go for it,” dare, care and embrace a new venture?
The threshold question is simple (and exciting), “What’s next?”
Ira Blumenthal is a business consultant, a Georgia resident, a best-selling author, a globally renowned public speaker, a university educator and a college Lacrosse coach. Ira welcomes inquiries and can be reached at Ira@Iraspeak.com. His web site is www.IraSpeak.com
