What’s your blue ocean?
Early in my career I heard someone share when you find work you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. It sounded like a myth, but years later in my career I can say this is definitely true… I love what I do… I love my everyday. I work for a great company. I work with great people, and I am in alignment my purpose “moving leaders to inspire and change the workplace”. It’s not the trucks and warehouses that energize me, it’s the people… I am energized and excited about each day not because every day is perfect, but because every day is purposeful. It’s about having an energy or aliveness every day, it’s about the connections, and having a meaningful pursuit. I didn’t say I love it because it’s easy… no, far from it. In fact, there have been many times when I have questioned my pursuit and wondered if I was on the right track… but I kept going. I knew it was the long road, I knew it was a long game, and I knew I was all-in. I call this spending time in “blue ocean”…
I once read a concept about a red and blue ocean strategy. Red ocean is about market share and fighting to take it from others to have more. Blue ocean is more about being innovative or a creating a demand for business that hasn’t been created yet. Red ocean is the “known” and blue is the “unknown”. For example, people spend a lot of time on the “known” such as fighting for the same jobs, or careers, or projects, or new customers. Everyone is fighting for market share. It can lead to success for many, but a challenge for others that includes a career filled with stress and fatigue.
However, the blue ocean is an area where there is little competition, because it’s such a long game. It can feel risky, because it takes so long to see results. However, people don’t realize this is where the joy of life happens. There is where we find happiness in our career. This is the “in between”, or meaningful pursuit in our career. It’s where we are tested in our faith that will help us stay a float or without cause us to sink. It’s where we learn and grow from our experiences and connections on our journey. It’s where we find our calling, our purpose, our lane in life! Many times, you may question this space – but you have to go back to your why to find the answers and sometimes fight off “Billy the Bully” (the champion of doubt) when he shows up in your head. Let me illustrate with these questions…
Is a certification worth taking if you don’t get the promotion?
Is joining an association worth it if you don’t get immediate results?
Is a podcast worth the time invested if you don’t get millions of listeners?
Is a book worth writing/publishing if you don’t make the best seller list?
A blue ocean might include networking with a different industry, starting a blog, joining an association, writing a book, volunteering on a project in your organization, and more… Blue oceans are challenging and can feel daunting, but create powerful energy, deep connections, and give us space to dream of what can be one day. However, we have to have a positive mindset knowing that it’s not all about achieving a goal, but about the person we can become on this journey. It will take time. It will take work. But one day, you’ll wake up energized, and think about the joy you have in your every day. It will include amazing people in your life that are encouraging, and challenge you to keep going, to dream bigger, and to say yes when opportunities present themselves. This will be the day you find the work you love… you will find your everyday calling that others call work…
Quote of the Day: “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Call to Action: What is your blue ocean? Take time to reflect on an area you can spend more time in to create opportunity in your career. Make sure it includes connecting with people that will encourage you to keep going and challenge you to be purposeful in your everyday.
This is “Move To Inspire” with Bruce Waller! For more information, call 972-389-5673, or email bwaller@goarmstrong.com or check out my social media Facebook and Twitter page. Also, check out www.BruceWaller.com to review my leadership book “Find Your Lane” and journal “Milemarkers” both available on amazon. Be sure to subscribe to my YOUTUBE channel for weekly messages to encourage you and others in the workplace! Looking for a Podcast? Check out “Life in the Leadership Lane” on APPLE PODCAST as I talk to leaders making a difference in the workplace! Interested in a book club? Join our book club “CLIMB” on Facebook.