So you want to step off the conveyor belt of the 9 to 5?

Take back control?

Create your own path instead of gazing into the distance and seeing exactly where you’ll be in 30 years?

Well listen up. 

Because there’s one thing you can do to kickstart this.  To lay the groundwork.  And make that step as smooth and gentle as possible.

But I’m not going to sugar-coat it.  It won’t be easy. 

It’s difficult to change direction when you’ve built up a head of steam.

You’re fighting against your own momentum.

And any schoolkid who knows their physics will tell you: the further you’ve travelled, the more momentum you have.

My guess is you’re already a few years in.  You’ve been chugging along for a while now.

You may have so much momentum you don’t need to pay attention to your career.  The conveyor belt carries you along while you stand gawping at the view.

And we all know how it begins.

A short job application. Maybe a quick phone call.

But this is all it takes. The momentum has started.   And over time, it gets faster and faster. 

So if you DO want to make a change – and step off the conveyor belt one day – how do you slow your momentum down?

You could pull the emergency cord.

But if you want something smoother, you’ll need a different idea.

And it’s an idea you know well.  You’ve used it before.

So let me spill the beans.

You do it by building momentum somewhere else.

After all, you’ve seen the power this has.  Momentum works.  So use it to your advantage.

Ask yourself what you'd love to do when you're off the treadmill.  And if you don't know, ask yourself how you can find out.

Once you know your first step, take it.

Then the next day take the next step.  And so on and so forth.

It starts small at first.  But small steps are enough to create momentum in a different part of your life.

And this is how you blaze a new trail.

If you keep going, at some point you’ll have enough momentum to take both feet off the conveyor belt. 

And you’ll need to. Taking one step off won’t work.

We all know what happens if you put one foot on the floor while the other stays on the treadmill.

You’ll fall flat on your face.

(am I taking this metaphor too far?)

Anyway, you get the idea.

And if creating momentum outside work sounds intriguing and you’d like a hand, coaching could help.

To schedule a free call with me - and discover how I can support you with your goals - here's the link:

https://www.followingfulfilment.com/call

That's all for today.

- Tom