Early in my career, when I was programming a T-38 flight simulator for student pilot training or testing software that automatically captured data from insurance applications, I felt constrained.
I felt like I was wasting time when there were more important things I could be discussing, from the company’s elephant in the room to racial inequity to my spiritual growth.
One of the things I adore about my current work is that I focus on what’s most important, both to me (helping people maximize their joy) and to them.
How do I do this?
First… What does it look like?
- A client gets into a fight with her husband before our call. We start there because it affects her ability to be present.
- A pandemic hits, and my client’s stress levels rise. We stop talking about her next more fulfilling role to focus on feeling calm in her current one.
- I ask a three-time father and engineer about his career goals. He says, “I’m just trying to keep my head above water.” Perfect. That’s a valid career goal.
There’s no siloing ourselves, nor skipping over the uncomfortable topics. It’s why the first question I often ask clients at the beginning of coaching sessions is a focusing one:
“What’s your biggest challenge right now?”
Not one of your challenges. Not your biggest career challenge. Let’s go wherever the stress or suffering is highest. This is how we make the biggest impact. It’s the most efficient path to success, no matter how close to or far from your goal it appears.
You make the biggest impact by focusing on what’s causing you the most suffering in this moment.
So, in this moment, find your answer. What’s your biggest challenge right now?
What if it’s possible that this is your biggest opportunity, too?