Today as I sat back on my couch and began to map out my 2010 plan for the Billion Dollar Girls Club, I opened my i-Tunes player and pressed play on the new Alicia Keys album and the words that came out of Alicia’s mouth nearly brought tears to my eyes. She was reading a familiar quote:
“The day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” *
These words are powerful, simple and true. Read them again.
Have you ever felt like fear kept you from doing something you knew in your heart of hearts you really, really wanted and desired to do?
I originally read this quote when I was first thinking about leaving my job and moving abroad. To the outsider looking in, it seemed insane to leave a high-paying job where I was well-regarded, successful and on the partner track, to jump ship and move to a new country with literally no plan except to spend time reconnecting with my essential self. But I knew in my heart of hearts something wasn’t right. That I had something more to give to the world than what I was giving on a day to day at my job. I knew I wanted to be more, to do more and to inspire more.
No, I still haven’t figured out exactly what “more” I am to do just yet. But I did muster up enough courage to look my fear in the eyes, take a deep breath and put one foot in front of the other towards the direction of my calling.
Do I still get afraid? Sometimes.
Do I have it all figured out and mapped out strategically for the next 5, 10 and 15 years? No.
Do I know I made the right decision? Absolutely!
How do I know? Because now my heart sings. “I am living on purpose!”
I wish the same for you. For true wealth and prosperity starts here, from within, from freeing ourselves from whatever it is we are fearing and beginning to mix our unique talents, desires and passions with our life’s work.
*The quote, as you may know, was originally written by Anais Nin (a writer, diarist and all around fierce woman who lived light years before her time) in a book called Living on Purpose.
Love the site! totally understand how you were feeling. I always have to remind myself that you will never make big changes without taking a big risk. It’s easy to remain stable, but much harder to do something new. Good luck!