Whenever I am faced with a decision, I ask myself a question: Does it help get me where I want to be and move me forward on the path I’ve chosen?
If the answer is no, then I have to think really hard about doing it. “It” can be anything that comes my way during the day, such as pursuing a job opportunity, entertaining a new idea, or even whether to take a mid-day nap.
When I was a young woman, just starting out in my career, I had a very low paying job with a long commute. I needed a higher paying job closer to home so that I could better support myself. At the time, I was living with my parents, paying them $400 a month in rent, and asked my father if he would support me for a month or two while I found a new job. He agreed, but it wasn’t a free ride, and I had to pay them back.
My father also instructed me that I was to consider looking for a job the same as having a job. I’d “work” from 8-5 going on interviews and dropping off resumes, and during my “lunch hour”, I’d follow up on early morning calls and interviews, send thank you notes, or schedule interviews for later that day or another day. My father was a very successful businessman and entrepreneur and so I trusted him and followed directions.
One hot day during the job search, I “quit” early and spent an hour or so in the backyard pool with my mother. My father came home when I was in the pool and promptly admonished me saying, “You won’t get a job in there.” That was true, but as I saw it, I needed the break. His concern was that I’d slack on the discipline required to meet my goals, and that was a legitimate concern as a parent. However, being the over-achiever that I am, within two weeks, I had a new job that was paying almost double what I had been making, and was within fifteen minutes of home.
The work discipline my father instilled in me is still there today. Since then, I’ve never had a problem being unemployed or finding a way to support myself and my family. Today, as I build my own business, I try to treat it exactly the same. Some days I do better than others, and when I waver from my self-imposed discipline, I feel a bit guilty. Still, I try to set goals every day to accomplish tasks that move me forward in the direction I’ve chosen: to be a full-time freelance writer, editor, and consultant, and running my own business.
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