Corporate America Gets a Bad Wrap
Corporate America is not always seen in the most positive light. The demanding requirements, the intense work pace, and ALL – of – those – MEETINGS! I remember it as if it were yesterday. Luckily, in the sweet gift Life offers us, we’re reminded not to assign negative labels — as those very same people or things with the negative label can pleasantly surprise us, by doing something truly outstanding.
Case in point — what company would ask a speaker, someone who writes and gives talks almost exclusively about topics such as Trust, Love, and Forgiveness to come talk to their employees about finding their true passion? A few? Maybe? But here’s the kicker, who would ask their speaker to position the material in such a way that their employees would feel inspired, even empowered to live the highest expression of who they are? To dig deep for their true drivers in life… even if that means leaving the company in order to pursue it?
A company who puts PEOPLE first. That’s who.
This week I was fortunate enough to present that very talk to a group of attentive and welcoming folks at Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation. (Attentive because they laughed in all the right places. Welcoming, because they laughed at all! They made me feel at home from the moment I walked in the door, warmly greeting me, and yes, laughing at my ill attempts at making jokes.)
I’m not here to run down the content of the talk blow-by-blow, but I do want to provide some context. (Very brief context.)
Passion Leads to Action
After sharing my experience of leaving Corporate America to pursue my passion, I broke the talk down into three areas which were all equally explored:
- Making trade offs
- Asking yourself the ‘big questions’
- Becoming aware of the stories you tell yourself
There you have it, like I said, brief context. Because really, the point I want to make is this:
After the talk was over, back home, heels kicked off and comfortably sitting, sipping my cuppa, I reflected on the beauty of how the day had unfolded. I thought back to the feedback I received afterward, the questions that were asked, the overall message… all of if. This led to some serious thought regarding the overarching theme of the talk, the cement that held the whole presentation together. What was the driving force behind why any of what I shared would even matter? And what I landed on was this one word: Choices.
You take your life experiences, add the underlying current of your deepest desires, those things that tug at you until you MUST pursue them, and then, with those two things in place, you make your choices.
Life Experiences, Deepest Desires, Choices. Some might call this Wisdom.
Are Bad Choices Truly Bad?
After a long, hard climb up the mountain, the spiritual seekers finally found themselves in front of the great teacher. Bowing deeply, they asked the question that had been burning inside them for so long: “How do we become wise?”
There was a long pause until the teacher emerged from meditation. Finally the reply came: “Good choices.”
“But teacher, how do we make good choices?”
“From experience,” responded the wise one.
“And how do we get experience?”
“Bad choices,” smiled the teacher.
As told by Roger Walsh, M.D., Ph.D. in his book, Essential Spirituality
My life experiences tell me, Leslie, that living my passion is a must do. It’s a “no-matter-what” for me.
As for bad choices? Really, is there such a thing? Sit with that one if you’re not sure. Maybe more importantly, sit with that one if you believe you are sure.
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