» IT’S ABOUT NOT JUST POINTING OUT THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, BUT ABOUT POINTING OUT THE ELEPHANTS IN OUR LIVES.
In many ways this book isn’t about knowing the future; it’s about being ready for the future. It’s not about having the right answers; it’s about asking the right questions. And it’s not about things that seem urgent; it’s about the things that matter.
Artist Andy Warhol once said, “They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”
This isn’t about waiting for change or expecting someone else to do the changing. It’s about navigating changes in the world that will result in a new perspective on living, a better understanding of the world around you, the ability to recognize new opportunities, and a stronger vision for the future.
I believe you have enormous potential. But if you’re ever going to achieve that potential, you need to jolt your thinking, understand the power of change, and discover how to achieve long-lasting, revolutionary transformation in every area of your life.
JOLT
YOUR
DIRECTION
» JOLT #1
The Time to Change Is Now
Let the Revolution Begin!
Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me.
—CAROL BURNET
Inever realized how important the “now ” of living was until I was fired from my job when I was thirty-six.
I had been working for a number of years at a media organization in the Midwest, when the president decided it was time for me to move on. I had been thinking about leaving for some time and had even booked a ticket to Los Angeles to see about the possibilities on the West Coast, but being fired always takes you by surprise. It was quick, clean, and efficient.
I’ ll never forget telling my wife, Kathleen. We had been married about twelve years, and although we had always dreamed about moving to Los Angeles and working in the media and entertainment industries there, it’s amazing how you buy a home, have a couple of kids, get locked into your friends, and before long the dream has been replaced by the reality of everyday living.
The older you get, the harder change becomes.
We kept putting the dream on the shelf, intoxicated by the drug of a regular paycheck and a mortgage. But now, that life was over. And the slow, thoughtful transition that I had planned for moving to Los Angeles was replaced by a real jolt—the need to make a decision now.
Looking back, it was the best thing that could have possibly happened to me. I had been lulled into thinking that perhaps this was my future and perhaps “settling” for less than my dream was the right thing to do.
Great businesses have a point of view, not just a product or service. You have to believe in something. You need to have a backbone. You need to know what you’re willing to fight for.
—JASON FRIED AND DAVID HEINEMEIER HANSSON, REWORK
This book is about one central theme: how to live your life successfully against the backdrop of dramatic change and disruption. In today’s chaotic world, nothing stays the same. Assuming that your life today will continue uninterrupted is simply a recipe for disaster.
There’s a wonderful scene in the Jason Reitman movie Up in the Air, starring George Clooney. Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, whose unusual job is to fire people from theirs. He’s hired by major corporations to handle big layoffs. Although he’s become brilliant at the task, the anguish, hostility, and despair of the job have left him empty, falsely compassionate, and yet—strangely— loving every second of it. In a powerful scene where he and a new assistant are firing an aging middle manager, Clooney notices on the manager’s résumé that he had been trained as a French chef. As the manager despairs over losing his job and having to face his wife and kids, Clooney reminds him of his original dream. He asks a remarkable question, the essence of which is, “Back when you started, how much did it take to buy you away from your dream?”
It is a compelling scene as the middle manager thinks back to the time he exchanged a steady paycheck for what he really wanted to do with his life. Now, decades later, he realizes the devastating impact of settling for second best.
Have you ever rationalized settling for second best? It’s amazing how you can make it sound as if it’s the right thing to do, even when your innermost being is crying out for you to follow your heart and discover your real potential.
It’s a good job . . .
We have good benefits . . .
The kids are in good schools . . .
The church is very supportive . . .
The company is really growing . . .
I can’t take a risk with my family right now . . .
All our friends are here . . .
We’re close to where our family lives . . .
People tell me I’d be foolish to pack up and move away now . . .
I have a lot invested in our retirement account . . .
There are a million reasons and ways to rationalize keeping your life exactly the same, and I knew them all. I was slowly exchanging a dream for security and giving away my future for what I had convinced myself was the right thing to do.
But fortunately I had the benefit of a serious jolt—getting tossed out on the street. What I couldn’t do for myself, someone else helped me do, and I will be forever grateful.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but my life as a change agent was just beginning. I had always been creative, hated monotony, and loved change, but now it would become the single most important part of my life.
After Kathleen and I sat on the bed, cried a little,
