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My name is Dr. Samuel Gerstein and I will show you how you can uncover your ideal career fit. I will tell you how others have done it and how, by learning their secrets, you too can find your unique life direction that is right for you.
“Follow your Dreams!”
You may have heard that as a cliché a hundred times but do you believe it is possible? Is it really possible to follow and live your dreams?
Seven years ago I didn't know the answer to that question. But after extensively researching the subject and interviewing hundreds of people who are living their dreams, and having done it myself, I now know it can be done.
What's more, I have learned how others can do it too so nowI am determined to pass on their secrets to you. As an emergency physician I have seen thousands of patients directly suffering from work stress and its related illnesses. These include chronic back and neck pain, recurrent injuries and colds, asthma, stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes, depression and substance abuse, to name a few. I have seen what stress does to people and their families. In the hospital, I would have to treat their presenting illness and discharge them. However, after a few years, I grew frustrated knowing that these people were returning to the same situation that caused their illness in the first place. I understood that the work stress they were returning to would physically express itself in another way if left unchecked.
Hans Selye, the pioneer in the understanding of human stress, was often asked the following question. "What is the most stressful condition a person can face?" His unexpected response: "Not having something to believe in."
I knew there was another way – I just didn't know what that way was. I began looking for people who were living their dream at work. It wasn’t an easy search since less than 10% of people in our society actually love what they do. Eventually, l found a couple of people, who then led me to others and in that way I was able to weave together the collective wisdom of a couple of hundred individuals living their dreams in all sectors of society. I am grateful to all who shared their stories with me and for all that I learned.
There are many benefits to following and living your dreams at work:
• You will spend the majority of your day in an activity you like instead of merely passing time
• You will feel a sense of vitality in your life, which may have been missing before
• You will find more meaning in life’s everyday routines
• You will be an immense role model for your children and others
• You will feel more alive and your relationships will improve.
• You will find you have more energy
• You will be interested in learning more about what you do and therefore you will be better at it
• You will be happier
• You will be healthier
• You will stop working against your natural self and begin aligning yourself with your true YOU
There are many deleterious effects of not doing what you love:
• You may always wonder whether you could have done it
• You may regret it later
• Little things may annoy you
• It may affect your health
With so many benefits to following dreams compared to the disadvantages of not pursuing them, why is it that most people are stuck in dissatisfying jobs that are making them sick, literally? I have discovered many reasons but here are some of the key myths people mistake as facts:
Myth #1: “If I make a lot of money I will love what I do and I will be happy”
People pursue the ladder of success and chase the almighty dollar believing that when they get to the top and have all kinds of material wealth they will find happiness. But the evidence I found in my research does not support this.
In his book, The Pursuit of Happiness (Avon Books; 1993), author David G. Meyers cites that people living in rich countries are not happier than those in less prosperous ones. Affluent people -- even those surveyed among Forbes' 100 Wealthiest Americans -- are only slightly happier than those in the working-class sector.
If you are not living in poverty and have the minimum -- food, clothing, shelter and a source of income, more income does not usually bring you more happiness.
I asked several of the people I interviewed, who are living their dreams at work but find themselves at the low end of the income scale, whether they would change careers with those at the upper end of income. All of them refused. You see, it is not what you earn that makes you happy – it is what you do. Studies show that an income raise lifts people's mood for a few months, tops. After that honeymoon period their mood returns to the pre-raise level. Even lottery winners tend to return to their original level of happiness about 6 months after the initial glee wears off. The Beatle's had it right when they sang, “Can't buy me love…”
In fact, several of the people I interviewed left higher paying jobs to follow their dreams. And they never regretted it for a moment. One woman who was married to a wealthy man eventually grew tired of “playing” and yearned to find her life’s purpose. And when she did find it, she also found a level of deep satisfaction previously unknown to her.
This is because something happens when you discover your life's work. You gain a sense of purpose. Things that used to annoy you no longer bring you down. You know where you are going and that feels good at a soul level.
Myth #2: Dream Careers are a fantasy.
While less than 10% of the population are doing what they love at work it is far from impossible to be one of them. Most don't know that it is possible to do what they love. Instead, they have been told from an early age to “face reality” and to “get your head out of the clouds.” However, those statements merely reflect the reality of the people who uttered them. It may have been your parents who told you this to protect you from harm. While playing it safe may ensure security, it has nothing to do with your happiness.
Happiness comes from within and no level of security can give you that.
What separates people in their Dream Careers from everyone else in the world is that the former group took action in the direction of their dreams. They didn't just dream. They did it. Being in your Dream Career does not imply you will be living in a dream state. On the contrary. It takes work to make it real. But it can be done. And the people I interviewed showed me the path – the way they did it. If they can do it so can you. Moreso, they are really no different than you. They have families, mortgages and other responsibilities. What separates them from the pack is that they took action and made it happen. They refused to believe the naysayers – and there are plenty of those around, aren't there?
Hans Selye, the Father of Stress and the physician who first described the effects of stress on our health, once said, “The practical and realistic people in the world are not so practical and realistic in the long run of life as the dreamers who pursue their dreams.”
Myth #3: I can't make money doing what I love
As was already mentioned, I interviewed people who came from a wide spectrum of income levels. I spoke with individuals making a low five-figure income to some people who had seven-figure annual earnings.
Let me make one thing clear: Doing what you love and the amount you earn are two different things.
Let me repeat that: Doing what you love and the amount you earn are two different things.
In my research I spoke with people who were in the same career yet were earning vastly different sums of money. “How could that be?” you may ask. It’s because, in many cases, income has more to do with how many people you serve than with what you do or the level of expertise you have. I expand on that in my workshops.
Doing what you love will put you in good stead. You will be more likely to want to learn about your field of interest. You will have more to offer because you will be on the leading edge of your industry. And you will be in an excellent position to earn more.
Now let’s look at some Dream Career facts:
Fact #1: Your Dream Career is inside of you. It just has to be uncovered
You don't have to hunt for your Dream Career through the outside. As long as you are breathing, your Dream is burning somewhere within you waiting to be uncovered. I say uncovered because it is part of you. It is part your natural talent or gift, part your personality and part your past. You will be looking for that ‘something’ that connects with who you are at the core. It will not likely be found by taking some aptitude test or by listening to what others tell you to do. Those factors may help but the key to this whole process is to begin to listen to yourself again. Begin to hear that small voice inside of you – you know the one I mean – the one that has been muffled for so many years and is yearning to bust out.
Nancy L. Segal is a professor of developmental psychology and the director of the Twin Studies Centre at California State University at Fullerton . Twin studies are important because by their very nature they are able to factor out a lot of environmental influences in studying human behaviour. She has found that if you are dissatisfied with your work, it could be that your job does not match up well with who you really are. She goes on to say that if you want to be happy with your career, twin studies strongly suggest that you pay close attention to your inner yearnings.
The authors of “The 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers ” (Crown Business, New York) 2003., James M. Citrin and Richard A. Smith, state in their book, “ ….Something almost mystical happens when you are set upon tasks that deeply move you – it's what allows you to step up and contribute something startling and significant to society. Don't forget that your work takes up roughly two-thirds of your waking hours – far too much time to be underutilized or bored. But if you find the right fit and work with the right people in a role that plays to your strengths, then with a little patience and just a little bit of luck, you should attain what everyone longs for – true success and satisfaction.”
Fact #2: When you discover your Dream nothing can stop you from following it
“They were told they couldn't do it. They were told that they were too old, too uneducated, too sick, too frightened, too poor, etc… Now that they are living their Dreams, they can tell all of those self-appointed experts they were wrong.”
This excerpt is from the introduction in my book, Live Your Dreams: Doctor’s Orders. The determination and perseverance of the people I interviewed was nothing short of incredible. They faced all sorts of daunting challenges. These included serious physical ailments that would have definitely kept less motivated people down, financial challenges, time limitations, extreme fears and low self-esteem, to name a few. What I discovered amazed me: None of the challenges could stand up to the power of commitment these people had toward their Dream.
“He (she) who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how.”
Nietzsche
It’s
as if knowing with certainty where you want to go carries with
it a force that will not allow any thing or person to block. People
following their Dream Career paths are able to tackle the obstacles
they face with more enthusiasm, passion and conviction. They see
a purpose to their work. They want to contribute and that drives
them to look for solutions to whatever arises.
“ To be what we are, and to become what
we are capable of becoming is the only end of life. ”
Robert
Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894)
You
may be saying to yourself…
“But I don't have the time…”
Let me ask you a question: Are you planning on living another five years? If the answer is, “yes” then I suggest you do have time to discover and follow your unique path.
“Although we often overestimate how much we will accomplish in any given day (leaving us frustrated), we generally underestimate how much we can accomplish in a year”,
By: David G. Myers, social psychologist and professor
at Hope College, author of The Pursuit of Happiness, Harper Paperbacks;
Reprint edition (June 1, 1993)
From Better health – good career fit
Most people overestimate what they can do in a day and underestimate what they can do in a year. You will be astonished when you discover where you will be in one, three and five years if you start today.
“But I don't have the money…”
I do not suggest leaving your job tomorrow to pursuee your dream, although that is a choice you can also make. Just as no two Dreams are alike, there are no identical ways to fund your journey. Some people may choose to continue in their current position until they feel comfortable enough in their true path to leave. Others will make a clean break to start fresh. The pace at which you follow your path is entirely up to you. The good thing is that because it is right for you, you will want to see what is ahead. It is one of the most exciting journeys on which you will embark.
Not only did I do the research and write the book, I became a member of the club
By researching and applying what I learned I too followed the model of the people I interviewed. I applied their lessons to my own life and began following and living my own Dream at work. I did this by opening a psychotherapy practice where today I help others discover and follow their true path that is right for them. It is the most rewarding experience I have ever had. I am still practicing in emergency medicine as well because I enjoy the physical aspects of medicine and the diagnostic challenges I encounter.
I was so enthusiastic about the people I interviewed in their Dream Careers that I knew I had to tell their stories. In Live Your Dreams: Doctor’s Orders I reveal the stories of the varied people I spoke with and all the obstacles they overcame to pursue their dreams. Let their true stories inspire you to uncover your own unique Dream.
If we can all see the benefits of living our dreams then why aren't more people doing it?
Here are some of the most common reasons :
• Many people are moving so fast on the treadmill of life they don't have time to get off and see if they want to continue in the same direction.
• Some people don't believe it is possible to live their dreams and instead give up before they even begin.
• Complacency.
• Fear of the unknown.
• Not knowing their options.
• Fear of change -- Not wanting to give up the familiar, no matter how uncomfortable the familiar is.
• They don't know how to make a change.
• Fear of failure. It is often easier not to try and justify it by saying you would succeed if you did.
• Fear of success (you may actually get what you dreamed of) and you may find yourself outgrowing some of the people who have stifled your potential.
• Not knowing where to begin
• A large percentage of the population don't even know what they want to do.
• No one to help them
How often have we heard others give these reasons for not moving out of an unpleasant situation? How often have we said this to ourselves if we are actually misemployed? Imagine looking back over your life and saying, "I wish I would have done it differently."
Fact #3: The number one reason more people don't follow their dream is they don't know what it is
What is the use in climbing the ladder of success if after you get to the top you see that it has been leaning against the wrong wall? The key is not to work faster or harder. It is to make sure you are going in the right direction. Think of it: If you are heading down a path that doesn’t truly fit you and your personality, walking faster will keep taking you further away. It’s time to get out of the rat race.
As Lily Tomlin said, “The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat.”
After realizing that so many people are stuck, I am passionate about helping them uncover their true direction and empowering them to follow it. That is what my Discover Your Life Direction Weekend Workshop will do for you. It will kick-start your Dreams and get you moving.
I invite you to attend my “Discover Your Life Direction” Weekend Workshop.
More people will spend more time and money on their next vacation or car than they will on planning their life. A vacation can cost upwards of $2,000. And most are taking it as a much needed break from working the rest of the year in an unsatisfying job. They are working fifty weeks to get two weeks off. Spend those two weeks figuring out how to enjoy the other 50 weeks. You do the math. This workshop is just over 2 days not 2 weeks.
I want to make this program available to more people, which is
why I am offering it at an investment of only $500. Comparable
workshops would cost as much as $2,000. Isn't it time to make
you a priority?
One of the keys to people living their Dreams at work was that they took action in the direction of their dreams. I want to reward that quality in others because I understand how powerful taking action can be and how paralyzing inaction makes you. Action opens doors you would otherwise not even see.
Enroll now and receive
the same benefits
as the
people I interviewed for my book,
Click
Here
BONUS:
Bring a guest for only $197.
That's
right. It is often easier to take on a new venture if you have
some support. I want you to be successful in this venture and
if a buddy can help you do that, I want to support you.
.
Click
Here
P.S. If you don't take this workshop and are
dissatisfied in your current job, let me ask you a question:
When will you start doing what you love? When will you start
doing what you always said you would do? If you wait until you
retire or when everything is in place, you may be waiting a
long time. You may not even get there. Did you notice that life
doesn't always work out the way we want it to?
If you continue on the same path what will your life be like
in five years from now? Will you be satisfied at work? Will
it be fulfilling and rewarding? Or will it be a source of continuous
stress in your life?
You don't have to quit your job to start your Dream Career.
Start now and you will be surprised how much you can accomplish
in a short period. Most people overestimate what they can do
in a day and underestimate what they can do in a year.
I am so grateful to have been able to help people discover their
true life direction. It is especially rewarding to see them
turn their lives around.
One of the leys to the people who are already living their dreams
at work is that they took action. They started and then took
another step. And then another step.
It’s your turn to take action by taking the first step
as you begin focusing on something that truly matters –
YOU. You know other people have done it. You know you can too
if you apply their principles to your life. Don't continue allowing
anything or anyone to step on your dreams. Discovering and following
your life direction, with all of its benefits, is now completely
up to you…
Enroll
in this life-changing workshop by
Clicking
Here
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