Hearing your inner guide

Sometimes when people ask me how I got where I am now on my career journey, my initial response is, "um, have you seen Moana?"

I first watched the movie Moana while inputting mountains of mid-year program data into spreadsheets late at night for a previous job (which, for the record, was a wonderful job, though that task wasn't particularly enjoyable).

I was swept away with Moana and how the ocean calls her. Her powerful inner compass is consistently telling her to set sail and find out just how far she'll go. While Moana's father forbids her to go, and her people want her to stay and be their chief, Moana's grandmother tells her, "remember / You may hear a voice inside / And if the voice starts to whisper / To follow the farthest star / Moana, that voice inside is / Who you are."

In case you haven't seen the movie, I won't spoil it, but suffice it to say, she ends up creating an enormous positive impact in a very moving way. None of which would have happened if she hadn't followed her inner call to embark on a new adventure.

Witnessing Moana's beautiful (albeit fictional) voyage set in motion a series of changes for me that included leaving my job, going on sabbatical, starting my coaching practice, and taking my songwriting and other creative projects more seriously.

Can you hear your inner guide?

It might be hard to do (the status quo voices are probably much louder). It might be really scary (I've been there!). Of course, the changes don't have to happen all at once, and there are important constraints and needs that have to be honored.

Still, I do believe that we each can create our biggest and most authentic impact when we truly listen to that smallest of voices.

If you're not sure where to start and would like a roadmap for the journey toward greater fulfillment and alignment in your work and beyond, take a look at the next reVision Lab cohort.