Once again, life had graced us with an unexpected bonus. One minute we're walking serenely along a path we've followed a hundred times, and the next, we're witnessing a jaw-dropping event worthy of a National Geographic documentary.
Bald Eagles are massive birds, three feet tall, with wing spans exceeding seven feet. Their size, combined with their legendary eyesight, make them the perfect hunting machines. Except for one fatal flaw.
It seems that once the majestic birds sink their deadly talons into their prey, they cannot release it without hitting the heel of their claws on a tree branch. In fact, one of the more common forms of death for eagles is drowning after grabbing fish too large to lift from the bay. Visualizing such a grand creature dying in such a senseless manner is difficult to comprehend.
It seems that many of today's workers share this same fatal flaw. They sink their talons into jobs they don't enjoy and find themselves equally unable to release them. Similar to the great Bald Eagle pulled under by a fish too large to lift from the bay, these workers find themselves drowning in a life of unhappiness because they can't drop unenjoyable work.
The snare seems inescapable - their heart desperately needs to discover the work that resonates in their soul, yet their family desperately needs the income that keeps them financially afloat. Rare is the person who merges these two needs immediately upon entering the work force. More typical is the person who falls into his father's work or grabs the first thing that comes along - tolerating the position - trading precious time and precious soul for mere cash. Then comes the family and the house and the bills. The snare snaps shut.
Analyzing our unhappiness is the first step toward making the course correction that can eliminate it. Like the mighty eagle, we too, were meant to soar. When we release ourselves from work we dislike, and lose ourselves in work we love, we discover the heights we were meant to reach.
Unlike the eagle, we don't have to let go of one job before we prepare ourselves for another. If the drive to find our proper place is strong enough, we'll begin taking small steps to get there BEFORE releasing the old job. Check out a library book. Send away for information. Start a self-study program. Talk to people doing what we'd like to do. Enroll in a night class. Break our dream into pieces small enough to undertake one each day and watch the magic of inspiration and calendar propel us ever closer to our heart's desire. Magically, when we do what we love, the money does follow.
The eagle seemed to realize this instinctively. As I watched him soar off higher, dangling that perfect sized mullet, I couldn't help but notice how much he loved his work.
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Mike Johnson is an energetic writer & entrepreneur. Learn more about Mike's offerings at www.MikeJohnson.biz