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August 07, 2008
Become the Captain of YOUR Life
Are YOU the Captain of YOUR Life? Or are you just a passenger going along for the ride?
Living can be an ACTIVE not PASSIVE activity. Yet, how often do we let ourselves go with the flow and let others set our own direction without even realizing it? How often do YOU end up giving in against your own best wishes and let others drive your next move? How often do you regret this decision but don’t feel comfortable speaking up and expressing your own feelings?
This is something that can happen in both our work lives and personal lives and often does.
Just being AWARE of your decisions is a big first step. It was for me. It took me a long while to realize it was up to me to become the captain of my own life. Once your mind is off cruise control and you take an active interest in your direction, it is up to you to decide whether to be active or passive in your daily activities. Some days you may just want to be a passenger.
It is up to YOU to take responsibility for your direction and for you to chart your own course.
Take an active role in your future. Take a moment, make it your own and
plan YOUR next move. Put yourself in the direction YOU want to be.
Tags: Entrepreneurship, leadership, Entrepreneur, Jeff Pulver
Please consider leaving a comment. And feel free to find me on twitter and continue this conversation.
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Posted by jeff on August 7, 2008 05:57 AM | Permalink
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Comments
Couldn't agree more Jeff. Faced a seminal moment a few years back. Had to make some hard choices to focus on what was really important. It's almost amazing when I reflect now...
Now if this captain would just give orders to eat less, stop blowing off exercise and shed 20+ pounds ...
Posted by: John Fleming at August 9, 2008 08:26 AM
This post came right on time for me.
Thanks a million!
Posted by: Kay Smith at August 7, 2008 08:56 PM
Awesome post as per usual, Jeff!
It's almost like people feel like they don't have the "right" to chart their own course. And that's truly sad. Anybody giving you advice can't possibly have as much information about your own situation as you do. Ultimately you have to decide and not deciding is still a decision.
Maybe it's because when we let others steer us, we feel less responsible for our failures. But we still made the choice to follow.
Posted by: Zoe Winters at August 7, 2008 03:21 PM
Great post. As a parent I'm teaching my daughter to have confidence and be a leader at an early age.
Posted by: Jon Winters at August 7, 2008 09:34 AM
Your current transition is similar to the move from dialup to broadband. You saw that and other tech coming, i have faith that you will once again ride that crest. when it arrives your way. ayi ayi captain. :)
Full st(r)eam ahead. Man, i'm smart.
Posted by: Phil at August 7, 2008 09:32 AM
Jeff, the best part of this post is your recognition that "some days you may just want to be a passenger".
Being Captain of your life isn't about getting our way 100% of the time, or about driving ourselves relentlessly. That path leads to madness.
I think a better path is to be aware of our choices and conscious of where we're investing energy and why.
Very useful post. Thanks!
Posted by: Tom Cunniff at August 7, 2008 08:36 AM
what a strange moment to find this post: I'm feeling overwhelmed by nurotic impulses.. As I reflect on it a little, I notice that there are some areas in my life where I'm way more captin then passanger, and other areas where it's the other way around, and I wonder what it is that segrigates these sections.. It seems like my real strugle is one of dealing with a shifting equilibrium; loosing my mom.
There's that mystical idea that when you're on your true path, you'll sometimes have the sensation of invisable hands helping you along the way, which is something I experiance in part.. But then there's the part of me that feels like it wants a no stop ticket to hell... Which might be an overly dramatic way of putting it but...
Well I supose what I'm describing is like classic jungian psychology: if you don't wrestle with your shadow you become a vehicale of said shadow.. and I suppose that's what you're saying, sorta... ?
Posted by: matt searles at August 7, 2008 08:03 AM
Well said, Jeff. What was it that made you take an active role in your life? Wat is one large event or a number of little things?
Posted by: mark_hayward at August 7, 2008 07:48 AM
I love this post. You are absolutely spot on! If you're not driving the bus, how can you make the decisions of where you end up?
Self awareness is a big step to taking control of your life. Thanks for sharing this.
Posted by: Ange at August 7, 2008 07:41 AM
Jeff:
I've been following you on Twitter and watching you and my good friend Liz engage on there. I'm enjoying your Tweets about going in and out of Manhattan where I used to live and work for 15 years.
Anyway, this post here was a good reminder to everyone to become aware that they can be Captain of their lives, if they choose to be. You're right - awareness is the first step.
In fact, awareness is the first step with just about everything. Are you aware of your habits? Thought processes? Belief system? Etc. Once you become aware, then you actually begin leading a conscious, versus unconscious life. Once you're "aware," it's hard to slide back to a life of unconsciousness.
Posted by: Stephen Hopson at August 7, 2008 07:38 AM
A very nice article.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading that.
Posted by: Good Advice at August 7, 2008 07:35 AM