There are many, many bright and thoughtful people who will be happy to tell you which path to follow. It’s much easier to play armchair quarterback with someone else’s life so opinions come freely and often.
The tyranny of “they” afflicts us in two ways:
First, it supports our reservations about declaring our path through an invasive voice that asks, “What will they think?”
Second, it muddies our efforts at clarity by allowing too many theys to have a say.
They are vital for support, strength and guidance. But only a select few. For my money, this is a combination that works well:
One person who loves you unconditionally; a person who only wants the best for you and will take extraordinary measures to make sure that you get it.
PLUS…
One person who respects you; someone who is familiar with your work but has an arm’s-length distance in personal matters. This person believes in you and holds a broad and diverse perspective.
PLUS…
One person who challenges you; someone who has a track record of telling it to you straight. They don’t suffer fools and aren’t concerned about offending. You’ve probably disagreed with them before and will again.
When I finally decided to leap a number of years ago, my wife said “Of course…we will make it work.” A former boss said “Let’s talk this through” and coached me to the strategies vital to successful first steps. And an associate spoke plainly about the potential pitfalls ahead.
In the end, the decision was mine. And it was made with loving, respectful and challenging support.
DAVID BERRY is the author of “A More Daring Life: Finding Voice at the Crossroads of Change” and the founder of RULE13 Learning. He speaks and writes about the complexity of leading in a changing world. Connect with him on Twitter at @berrydavid.
