Last night, I attended the Beaufort International Film Festival’s Award Ceremony. My husband Landon, a retired Marine Colonel, presented the first-ever Patrick Conroy Lifetime Achievement Award, which was awarded to Dale Dye.
Actor. Writer. Icon. Hollywood Legend.
Mr. Dye is the man who single-handedly changed not only the way military movies are made in Hollywood, but as a result, the way the world sees and understands the military experience as presented on film.
How did he do that?
According to Mr. Dye, he came home from Vietnam (where he had been a Captain in the Marine Corps) with a vision. He wanted to change the way the military was depicted in Hollywood movies. He wanted them to show the “real deal” and not the cleaned up, antiseptic version of war. He wanted movies to depict the sacrifice, the suffering, and most of all, the inextricable bond that gets created when men and women learn to rely on each other in battle.
So he headed to Hollywood.
Hung out on Hollywood lots, until he was hauled off. Couldn’t get to the producers or directors. Did he give up? Did he go and get a job? No. He simply changed his tactics.
He decided to work through the writers, who he said were more accessible. According to Mr. Dye’s colorful story, one night he entertained a Hollywood writer over dinner (and drinks!) until he convinced that writer to share Oliver Stone’s telephone number with him and wrote it down on a napkin. (I love the fact that he didn’t try to reach a lesser known director. He went to the top.)
Then what? Did he wait until he had a position paper to present to Mr. Stone? A video? A presentation? Nope.
Mr. Dye called Oliver Stone a couple of hours later, early Sunday morning, and told him what he wanted to do. He said he wanted to help filmmakers create realistic military movies. He wanted to create a kind of boot camp for the actors to simulate the same kind of training that military men and women experience, both so that they could understand the hardships and sacrifices, but also the intimate bond that occurs when relying on each other in extreme circumstances. He wanted to create a “Band of Brothers.” (Yes, he was an advisor to that film.)
Oliver Stone agreed to his proposition. He sent young actors like Johnny Depp, Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, Tom Hanks and others to Mr. Dye for this training. It worked. As a result, we got movies like Platoon, Band of Brothers, Saving Private Ryan and countless others. He went on to work with some of the most talented directors of all time.
One man. One vision.
He changed Hollywood. And, he helped to shift the perceptions of millions of people around the world when it came to understanding war and the military experience.
He refused to stop.
He refused to give up. When he hit a dead end, he didn’t think “I failed.” He created a new strategy.
He always believed. And, he turned his vision into a reality.
Think of what he did. What does this mean to you? What lessons can you learn from his example? What can you do to bring your creative mission forward? How committed are you? How dogged are you? How convinced are you? Let Mr. Dye inspire you. He inspired me.
The Official You Are Free Blog
3 Keys to Meaningful Work
Over the years, I’ve heard my clients tell me that they want to do meaningful work. They say they are tired of just showing up in their cubicle (even if it is an office) doing the same thing, day after day.
Deep down, they know they are capable of more. Contributing more. Making a bigger impact.
There are 3 things that you must know if you want to be successful in creating work that’s meaningful. Keep reading...
3 Keys to Create Meaningful Work
1. Define meaningful work.
Lots of people talk about wanting to do meaningful work. It sounds cool, compelling. But what does that really mean? I have found that each of us defines “meaningful work” differently. Specifically:
What does meaningful work mean to you?
What are you looking for from your work?
What gives work meaning?
Take 5 minutes out of your day today and answer these. Keep writing. You might be surprised by what you write. I was.
2. Showcase your talents.
If you truly want to do meaningful work, you’ll want to use your talents. That means you’ll have to be able to define what your talents are, how you’ve used them before, and the impact you’ve made.
One of the most important things you can do is to discover your talents. (HINT: you’ll usually find them embedded in your accomplishments, those things you’ve done that have made you proud, no matter how small.)
3. Know your WHY.
The key to creating meaningful work is to align your work with your WHY. Your WHY is what matters to you, what you believe in, what moves you, what you care about deeply. Want an example?
While I care deeply about politics and even started my workpath in that world, it’s not where I want to make my mark.
I also care deeply about people’s happiness at work. I believe each one of us has the right to create work that satisfies us, whatever that means to you and to me individually. I also believe deeply that each one of us was born with a unique set of gifts, talents and abilities and it is our “job” to figure out what they are so that we can use these gifts to their fullest potential to make an impact in the world and be well-paid. The world of work is my arena, the place where I choose to apply my gifts and talents. What’s your arena?
So you see, just because you are passionate about old cars doesn’t mean you have to work as a mechanic fixing old cars. You can be multi-passionate: you probably have a list of things you care about. What you want to do is to find the place where you want to make an impact. And then…GO!
Deep down, they know they are capable of more. Contributing more. Making a bigger impact.
There are 3 things that you must know if you want to be successful in creating work that’s meaningful. Keep reading...
3 Keys to Create Meaningful Work
1. Define meaningful work.
Lots of people talk about wanting to do meaningful work. It sounds cool, compelling. But what does that really mean? I have found that each of us defines “meaningful work” differently. Specifically:
What does meaningful work mean to you?
What are you looking for from your work?
What gives work meaning?
Take 5 minutes out of your day today and answer these. Keep writing. You might be surprised by what you write. I was.
2. Showcase your talents.
If you truly want to do meaningful work, you’ll want to use your talents. That means you’ll have to be able to define what your talents are, how you’ve used them before, and the impact you’ve made.
One of the most important things you can do is to discover your talents. (HINT: you’ll usually find them embedded in your accomplishments, those things you’ve done that have made you proud, no matter how small.)
3. Know your WHY.
The key to creating meaningful work is to align your work with your WHY. Your WHY is what matters to you, what you believe in, what moves you, what you care about deeply. Want an example?
While I care deeply about politics and even started my workpath in that world, it’s not where I want to make my mark.
I also care deeply about people’s happiness at work. I believe each one of us has the right to create work that satisfies us, whatever that means to you and to me individually. I also believe deeply that each one of us was born with a unique set of gifts, talents and abilities and it is our “job” to figure out what they are so that we can use these gifts to their fullest potential to make an impact in the world and be well-paid. The world of work is my arena, the place where I choose to apply my gifts and talents. What’s your arena?
So you see, just because you are passionate about old cars doesn’t mean you have to work as a mechanic fixing old cars. You can be multi-passionate: you probably have a list of things you care about. What you want to do is to find the place where you want to make an impact. And then…GO!
What's Getting in the Way?
You know you are not happy at work.
You want to use more of your potential.
You want to do something meaningful.
You want to make more of a contribution. You know you are capable of more.
You know you are not that type of person who is satisfied with doing repetitive work, performing the same tasks over and over again. It’s time to go. And, yet…
You just can’t move forward. No matter what you try, you are not making progress. You are not moving towards the work of your dreams. Frankly, you are stuck.
So, my question to you is: what’s getting in the way?
YOUR MINDSET: Maybe you were told as a child that work is not supposed to be fun, that work is “labor, drudgery and toil” and not to expect more from it. And, if you say you do want more from your work, you were told you were impractical or unrealistic, an idealist or a dreamer. You have been programmed to put up with unhappy situations at work.
Or, maybe you aren’t aware of the amazing changes taking place in today’s world of work. Do you know that now is the best time in history to create work you love? Because if you are not aware and don’t know what’s happening, you won’t be able to see the unique opportunities available today, opportunities that weren’t there for your parents’ generation. The marketplace is breaking down, jobs are disappearing into projects and work is becoming more fluid. There is more opportunity, if you know where to look.
NOT KNOWING THE NEXT STEP: What stops my clients the most is they do not know what they want to do next. They know they don’t like what they are currently doing, and they don’t know what they have of value to offer the marketplace. Most of my clients want to do something meaningful, make a bigger impact or a greater contribution, but they haven’t really defined what that means to them, or how to achieve it.
YOUR FEARS: There are two main fears that stop people: 1) fear of change and 2) fear of losing financial security. Let’s talk about the first one.
Fear of change: One of people’s biggest fears is that they will make a change to find something better, and the new opportunity might turn out to be worse than the work they currently perform. Kind of “the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t” syndrome. Or, they are afraid of what people will say about them if they make a change and it doesn’t work out. They stay stuck.
Loss of financial security: Among the biggest deterrents to making a change is the fear of losing financial security. (Is a job really secure? Is your paycheck?) This doesn’t have to stop you. Remember that in today’s world of increasing flux and opportunity, there are more ways than ever before to secure your financial freedom, if you know how.
The great news is that resistance points are just hurdles to overcome. Sure, you will need the knowledge and tools to bust through them and keep moving forward towards your dream work. Stick with me. Keep reading these posts.
I would love to hear from you about the biggest obstacle you face…the ONE thing holding you back…from pursuing the work of your dreams. Would you share with me? Just comment below and tell me what you are experiencing. BTW, no judgment here. I’ve experienced every single one of these hurdles myself and I know what it’s like. You are definitely NOT alone.
You want to use more of your potential.
You want to do something meaningful.
You want to make more of a contribution. You know you are capable of more.
You know you are not that type of person who is satisfied with doing repetitive work, performing the same tasks over and over again. It’s time to go. And, yet…
You just can’t move forward. No matter what you try, you are not making progress. You are not moving towards the work of your dreams. Frankly, you are stuck.
So, my question to you is: what’s getting in the way?
YOUR MINDSET: Maybe you were told as a child that work is not supposed to be fun, that work is “labor, drudgery and toil” and not to expect more from it. And, if you say you do want more from your work, you were told you were impractical or unrealistic, an idealist or a dreamer. You have been programmed to put up with unhappy situations at work.
Or, maybe you aren’t aware of the amazing changes taking place in today’s world of work. Do you know that now is the best time in history to create work you love? Because if you are not aware and don’t know what’s happening, you won’t be able to see the unique opportunities available today, opportunities that weren’t there for your parents’ generation. The marketplace is breaking down, jobs are disappearing into projects and work is becoming more fluid. There is more opportunity, if you know where to look.
NOT KNOWING THE NEXT STEP: What stops my clients the most is they do not know what they want to do next. They know they don’t like what they are currently doing, and they don’t know what they have of value to offer the marketplace. Most of my clients want to do something meaningful, make a bigger impact or a greater contribution, but they haven’t really defined what that means to them, or how to achieve it.
YOUR FEARS: There are two main fears that stop people: 1) fear of change and 2) fear of losing financial security. Let’s talk about the first one.
Fear of change: One of people’s biggest fears is that they will make a change to find something better, and the new opportunity might turn out to be worse than the work they currently perform. Kind of “the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t” syndrome. Or, they are afraid of what people will say about them if they make a change and it doesn’t work out. They stay stuck.
Loss of financial security: Among the biggest deterrents to making a change is the fear of losing financial security. (Is a job really secure? Is your paycheck?) This doesn’t have to stop you. Remember that in today’s world of increasing flux and opportunity, there are more ways than ever before to secure your financial freedom, if you know how.
The great news is that resistance points are just hurdles to overcome. Sure, you will need the knowledge and tools to bust through them and keep moving forward towards your dream work. Stick with me. Keep reading these posts.
I would love to hear from you about the biggest obstacle you face…the ONE thing holding you back…from pursuing the work of your dreams. Would you share with me? Just comment below and tell me what you are experiencing. BTW, no judgment here. I’ve experienced every single one of these hurdles myself and I know what it’s like. You are definitely NOT alone.
The You Are Free Manifesto Excerpts
As you know, on the YouAreFree.com website, there is a whole page dedicated to The You Are Free Manifesto. Here are some excerpts to think about this week:
Find your talents.
Use your gifts.
Create work you love. Love your work.
Do what YOU want to do, not what others say you should do.
When they tell you you can’t, do it anyway. Prove them wrong.
Break the rules.
Make it up.
Invest your intellectual property wisely and always get a return on your investment.
DREAM BIG.
Play.
Be free.
I invite you to go to the website to see the full version of The You Are Free Manifesto. And, I’d love to know what you think.
Find your talents.
Use your gifts.
Create work you love. Love your work.
Do what YOU want to do, not what others say you should do.
When they tell you you can’t, do it anyway. Prove them wrong.
Break the rules.
Make it up.
Invest your intellectual property wisely and always get a return on your investment.
DREAM BIG.
Play.
Be free.
I invite you to go to the website to see the full version of The You Are Free Manifesto. And, I’d love to know what you think.
A Personal Note From Me
Today, I want to touch base with you, on a more personal note.
I have spent the month of September working from my mountain office in North Carolina, where my husband and I traveled to in order to escape Hurricane Irma. (No damage to our house, but massive flooding in our hometown.) It’s so beautiful up here, it’s hard to leave. I love having a lifestyle business, one that works with my lifestyle because after all, as Chief Freedom Officer of YouAreFree.com, it’s important to be free to do what works for me. If I am going to model that for you.
Here’s a picture of the view off our deck…this is why it’s so hard to leave…
Working in this beautiful place doesn’t keep me from doing business elsewhere. Last weekend, I flew to Chicago where I gave a very brief presentation on The Changing World of Work – at the Chicago Business Traveler’s Association. Met a lot of great people. Learned some. Thank you, Wayne! If there are any others out there who would like to hear what I have to say about today’s marketplace and your place in it, please let me know. I am looking for speaking opportunities and the chance to spread the You Are Free message.
On Sunday, I saw a coy-wolf, literally a mixed breed of a coyote and a wolf. You can google this for yourself, but this animal looked like a coyote trapped in a wolf’s body. It looked to be as big as my 135 pound mountain dog, Pasha. It’s the second time I’ve seen this creature. Sorry I don’t have a picture to share. I was so stunned to see this amazing animal at 12 noon in the broad daylight that I didn’t have the wherewithal to snap a picture. But, again, you can google it.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
We have updated and reformatted the YouAreFree.com website, in part to make it more mobile-friendly. You might want to take a look. There is some new information there. www.youarefree.com
Thanks for listening today,
Leslie
I have spent the month of September working from my mountain office in North Carolina, where my husband and I traveled to in order to escape Hurricane Irma. (No damage to our house, but massive flooding in our hometown.) It’s so beautiful up here, it’s hard to leave. I love having a lifestyle business, one that works with my lifestyle because after all, as Chief Freedom Officer of YouAreFree.com, it’s important to be free to do what works for me. If I am going to model that for you.
Here’s a picture of the view off our deck…this is why it’s so hard to leave…
 |
| Mountain View |
On Sunday, I saw a coy-wolf, literally a mixed breed of a coyote and a wolf. You can google this for yourself, but this animal looked like a coyote trapped in a wolf’s body. It looked to be as big as my 135 pound mountain dog, Pasha. It’s the second time I’ve seen this creature. Sorry I don’t have a picture to share. I was so stunned to see this amazing animal at 12 noon in the broad daylight that I didn’t have the wherewithal to snap a picture. But, again, you can google it.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
We have updated and reformatted the YouAreFree.com website, in part to make it more mobile-friendly. You might want to take a look. There is some new information there. www.youarefree.com
Thanks for listening today,
Leslie
REINVENTION: A Recipe
Two friends of ours, Bob and Debbie, have decided to reinvent their life. Currently, they have a thriving landscape design/maintenance business in North Carolina.
A couple of years ago, they started thinking about the “next phase” of their life. They had always dreamed of traveling around the country, but never had time. What if they could find a way? But, how? Could they find a way to make their dream come true? Could they do this and generate an income at the same time?
They had an idea.
What if they could travel to RV parks around the country and provide landscaping services to them, for free board and maybe even a nominal fee to cover their living expenses? Sounds crazy, right? What will they do with their business? What about their home? Will they have to purchase a motorhome? What if they hate it?
Well…they made it happen. In three weeks, they set off for their new adventure!
Their first stop is a Tennessee RV park, where they will spend 6 months providing landscaping services (for pay). They’ll use the park as a basecamp while they explore the region. Six months later, they plan to travel to the West Coast and spend spring and summer in an Oregon RV park, right on the coast. For the next couple of years, they will travel the country in their motorhome, anchoring in an RV park, getting paid for their landscaping services and taking side trips to see things. They hope to see parts of the country that before had just been a dream.
How did they make their reinvention happen? It’s one thing to dream about it. It’s another thing to make a plan. But, the most challenging thing of all is to carry through with the plan to reinvent.
They started by doing research. They traveled to RV parks and interviewed visitors. "What was your biggest regret?" they would ask. "Not doing this earlier," they were told. "Don’t wait until retirement."
With that piece of advice, they resolved to move forward. The first step was to try to sell their successful landscape design and maintenance business. No takers. Then a landscaper expressed interest, but he had no experience in horticulture. So, they postponed their plans for a year while they groomed him to take over their business. He starts solo next spring. (They will stay involved in the business, in the background, for the next three years. That way, if their trainee has questions, or clients have concerns, Bob and Debbie will be available to support. They are committed to making the transition successful.)
They bought a motorhome and experimented with living in it. Could they make it their full-time home, they wondered? What’s it like to live in a traveling home? And, they found they loved it. The motorhome expands and they feel like they have plenty of space. It’s very comfortable.
Bob and Debbie sold their home and moved into their motorhome last March, making sure that it would be a satisfactory place to live…before they set out on their great adventure. It was a six month trial. And, they were very content to live there.
So, all systems are go…
Why am I telling you this story? To inspire you. And, to share their formula for success.
Are you ready for a reinvention in your life or worklife? It doesn’t have to be as dramatic as Bob and Debbie. It can be a reinvention in terms of the tasks you do in your job, stripping away those things you don’t like to do, or don’t do well so that you can leverage your talents and focus on your area of brilliance. Or, it can be a total career change. Or whatever.
Bob and Debbie have given you a great template to use in your reinvention process. The first is to dream or to imagine what might be possible. Then research and test the idea. Make a decision to move forward. Create a plan and take baby steps to implement. Commit to execute the plan.
Dream. Imagine. Consider the possibility. Research. Test. Decide. Plan. Execute.
What a great recipe for reinvention – and I recommend it to you, for whatever invention you imagine.
A couple of years ago, they started thinking about the “next phase” of their life. They had always dreamed of traveling around the country, but never had time. What if they could find a way? But, how? Could they find a way to make their dream come true? Could they do this and generate an income at the same time?
They had an idea.
What if they could travel to RV parks around the country and provide landscaping services to them, for free board and maybe even a nominal fee to cover their living expenses? Sounds crazy, right? What will they do with their business? What about their home? Will they have to purchase a motorhome? What if they hate it?
Well…they made it happen. In three weeks, they set off for their new adventure!
Their first stop is a Tennessee RV park, where they will spend 6 months providing landscaping services (for pay). They’ll use the park as a basecamp while they explore the region. Six months later, they plan to travel to the West Coast and spend spring and summer in an Oregon RV park, right on the coast. For the next couple of years, they will travel the country in their motorhome, anchoring in an RV park, getting paid for their landscaping services and taking side trips to see things. They hope to see parts of the country that before had just been a dream.
How did they make their reinvention happen? It’s one thing to dream about it. It’s another thing to make a plan. But, the most challenging thing of all is to carry through with the plan to reinvent.
They started by doing research. They traveled to RV parks and interviewed visitors. "What was your biggest regret?" they would ask. "Not doing this earlier," they were told. "Don’t wait until retirement."
With that piece of advice, they resolved to move forward. The first step was to try to sell their successful landscape design and maintenance business. No takers. Then a landscaper expressed interest, but he had no experience in horticulture. So, they postponed their plans for a year while they groomed him to take over their business. He starts solo next spring. (They will stay involved in the business, in the background, for the next three years. That way, if their trainee has questions, or clients have concerns, Bob and Debbie will be available to support. They are committed to making the transition successful.)
They bought a motorhome and experimented with living in it. Could they make it their full-time home, they wondered? What’s it like to live in a traveling home? And, they found they loved it. The motorhome expands and they feel like they have plenty of space. It’s very comfortable.
Bob and Debbie sold their home and moved into their motorhome last March, making sure that it would be a satisfactory place to live…before they set out on their great adventure. It was a six month trial. And, they were very content to live there.
So, all systems are go…
Why am I telling you this story? To inspire you. And, to share their formula for success.
Are you ready for a reinvention in your life or worklife? It doesn’t have to be as dramatic as Bob and Debbie. It can be a reinvention in terms of the tasks you do in your job, stripping away those things you don’t like to do, or don’t do well so that you can leverage your talents and focus on your area of brilliance. Or, it can be a total career change. Or whatever.
Bob and Debbie have given you a great template to use in your reinvention process. The first is to dream or to imagine what might be possible. Then research and test the idea. Make a decision to move forward. Create a plan and take baby steps to implement. Commit to execute the plan.
Dream. Imagine. Consider the possibility. Research. Test. Decide. Plan. Execute.
What a great recipe for reinvention – and I recommend it to you, for whatever invention you imagine.
How Badly Do You Want It?
Many of my clients SAY they want to be doing something else, work that is different from what they are currently pursuing.
But they never make the change. Why?
Some say it’s because the time isn’t right – they have other commitments, other obligations, other priorities. They’ll do it “some day.”
Some say that they don’t believe it’s possible so why even try?
Some tell me that they don’t know what to do next and they get worn out trying to figure it out.
And, some talk themselves into believing that “the devil they know is better than the devil they don’t.”
Whatever the reason, these folks never make it past the wishing stage.
Others make it happen. They take steps to find work that is truly meaningful to them, work that is fulfilling and pays well.
What is the difference between these two groups?
Desire. Truly wanting something different. Knowing in the heart that there is something better and being willing to work for it.
Doing the work is critical. If you are thinking about and deeply desiring to do something different in your work world, you must be willing to do the work. What work, you say? The mental work it takes to gain clarity.
Getting clear on your talents.
Getting clear on your skills and experience.
Getting clear on how you can weave these together to make a contribution to a division, a company, the world.
Getting clear on who needs what you have to offer.
Getting clear on how to communicate the value of what you have to offer.
It’s all about getting clear. And that takes work…
If you are willing to work, I can help. I’ve got a proven process – The You Are Free System™ which is designed to clarify your thinking and chart your path. It’s worked for hundreds of clients. You can have it, too. If you need it.
So, do you want to change badly enough? Your choice.
But they never make the change. Why?
Some say it’s because the time isn’t right – they have other commitments, other obligations, other priorities. They’ll do it “some day.”
Some say that they don’t believe it’s possible so why even try?
Some tell me that they don’t know what to do next and they get worn out trying to figure it out.
And, some talk themselves into believing that “the devil they know is better than the devil they don’t.”
Whatever the reason, these folks never make it past the wishing stage.
Others make it happen. They take steps to find work that is truly meaningful to them, work that is fulfilling and pays well.
What is the difference between these two groups?
Desire. Truly wanting something different. Knowing in the heart that there is something better and being willing to work for it.
Doing the work is critical. If you are thinking about and deeply desiring to do something different in your work world, you must be willing to do the work. What work, you say? The mental work it takes to gain clarity.
Getting clear on your talents.
Getting clear on your skills and experience.
Getting clear on how you can weave these together to make a contribution to a division, a company, the world.
Getting clear on who needs what you have to offer.
Getting clear on how to communicate the value of what you have to offer.
It’s all about getting clear. And that takes work…
If you are willing to work, I can help. I’ve got a proven process – The You Are Free System™ which is designed to clarify your thinking and chart your path. It’s worked for hundreds of clients. You can have it, too. If you need it.
So, do you want to change badly enough? Your choice.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)