What I Am Not Seeing

#Trust30 30-day writing challenge from ralphwaldoemerson.me.

When good is near you, when you have life in yourself, it is not by any known or accustomed way; you shall not discern the foot-prints of any other; you shall not see the face of man; you shall not hear any name; the way, the thought, the good, shall be wholly strange and new. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Writing Prompt

The world buzzes about goals and visions. Focus. Create a vivid picture of exactly where you want to go. Dream big, then don’t let anything or anyone stop you. The problem, as Daniel Gilbert wrote in Stumbling Upon Happiness, is that we’re horrible at forecasting how we’ll really feel 10 or 20 years from now – once we’ve gotten what we dreamed of. Often, we get there only to say, “That’s not what I thought it would be,” and ask, “What now?” Ambition is good. Blind ambition is not. It blocks out not only distraction, but the many opportunities that might take you off course but that may also lead you in a new direction. Consistent daily action is only a virtue when bundled with a willingness to remain open to the unknown. In this exercise, look at your current quest and ask, “What alternative opportunities, interpretations and paths am I not seeing?” They’re always there, but you’ve got to choose to see them.

(Author: Jonathan Fields)

My Response

I'm all about staying open to what shows up. That doesn't mean it's easy to do. When we've got a vision the tendency is to hold on tight to it, sometimes so tight that your hands hurt too much to notice anything else.

I wanted a book deal before I left Corporate America. It turns out I got a severance package first. I saw it coming and stayed open to it. I always thought fiction was the kind of writing I was best at. Turns out I'm pretty good at non-fiction too. My agent suggested we run with that. And that book deal for the novel. I was holding so tightly to the idea of a traditional publishing house picking me up I forgot that self-publishing was an option. Now I'm planning on that for this summer. Coaching was never in the original plan, but people kept asking for it and telling me I was good. So I seized the opportunity and discovered I can inspire and create change  through the written word and the spoken word.

What else am I not seeing? I can't get a glimpse of much else right now, but if you can do let me know.