What's NEXT for You?

Matt walked in the door and plopped down on the stairs. I had never seen anyone look so dejected. I said, “Matt, no 25-year old should ever look like that. What’s up?”

Matt was living in my basement, working part-time for me while working full-time for an association. He was saddled with college debt and was living very frugally to pay it down.

“I went for my performance review today. I shared some ideas with my boss on how we could clean up a couple of our systems so they’re more efficient. I even developed some spread sheets to show how it would work and how much money we would save.”

“So, what happened?”

“She sat there for a moment and then said, ‘Matt, that’s not what you’re getting paid to do. Just do your job.’

He looked like all was lost. I asked, “Matt, when we don't like our NOW, it's really important to have a NEXT that gives us something to look forward to.

What do you want to do? What’s your dream?”

“I can’t even think about dreaming until I pay off these loans, and that’ll take years.”

I told him, “What would you do if you could?”

 “Well, I follow a lot of travel bloggers. I’d love to do what they do.”

“Why don’t you reach out to a few of your favorites? Say, ‘I know you’re busy, and if you had one piece of advice for someone who wants to do what you do, what would that be?”

Matt was initially afraid to reach out, "Why would they be interested in me?"

I suggested, "Busy people will often make time for you if you ask for one piece of advice and if you promise to get back in touch and let them know the results of their suggestion. Asking for a favor becomes a win-win when you keep the 3 A Contract."

"What's that?"

"ASK for advice. ACT on the advice. APPRECIATE the advice."

Suffice it say, Matt did reach out to several adventure vloggers. Two got back in touch with recommendations. One said a good video camera was an essential tool of the trade and told him which one to get. The other suggested Matt set up a website and start local with trips to local famers’ markets and blogging about interesting places and events in the area.

And, in his spare time, that’s exactly what Matt did.

Guess where Matt is now? South Korea. He initially taught ESL and is now an executive recruiter. He has scuba-dived, zip-lined and explored countries he never would have visited otherwise. All because he set a NEXT in motion instead of being unhappy with his NOW.

How about you? 

Do you feel stuck, trapped in your current circumstances? Have you given up hope? 

You have a choice. You can withdraw and retreat - or you can reach out.

Tell yourself ... "Dreaming costs nothing; not dreaming costs everything."

Please understand, you don't have to know what to do with the REST of your life - just what you want to do NEXT in your life.

I've collected a few favorite quotes about the importance of getting out of inertia and into action. Print these out and put them where you'll see them every day.

If you start feeling discouraged, re-read these quotes.

Imagine a NEXT that is better than what you've got NOW.

Then ASK, ACT, APPRECIATE and take a mini-step to move it forward.

Who knows where you'll be, the people you'll meet, the experiences you'll have, the person you'll be, the places you'll see ... if you dare to turn your NOW into a NEXT.

15 Quotes to Inspire You To Turn a NOW into a NEXT

1.     "I imagine that YES is the only living thing.” – e.e. cummings

2.      “The only thing worse than starting something and failing is not starting something.” – Seth Godin

3.     “One day you’re going to wake up and there won’t be any time left to do the things you’ve always wanted to do.” – Paulo Coelho

4.     “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

5.   “You don’t have to get it perfect. You just have to get it going.” – Marie Forleo

6.      “It is only when we truly understand we have a limited time on earth – and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up – that we will begin to live each day to the fullest." – Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

7. “Your life does not get better by chance; it gets better by change.” – Jim Rohn

8. “The only thing keeping you from what you want is the story you’re telling yourself about it.” – Tony Robbins

9.  "Change can be scary. You know what's scarier? Regret." - Pinterest post

10.  “Don’t be kind of bold. Be bold.” – William Zissner

Still not sure what you want to do NEXT? You'll love my WHAT'S MY NEXT? series, part of Radha Agrawal's (founder of Daybreaker) LIVE IT UP Challenge. I share a 3 minute video every day for 21 days that guides you on how to clarify a NEXT that puts the light on in your eyes and helps you make the most of 2020. Still time to sign up here.

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Sam Horn, CEO of the Intrigue Agency and 3 time TEDx speaker, - is on a mission to help people create the life, work and relationships of their dreams. Her work has been featured in NY Times, on NPR and taught to NASA, Intel, Nationwide, YPO, Boeing, Accenture.