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A few weeks ago, I read a story in the Wall Street Journal about a group of refugees who escaped from Cuba to Guantanamo Bay in an attempt to wait out the demise of Fidel Castro. They assumed their wait would only be six months, but they have been waiting for fifty years.
I liken that to the good worker being stuck in a job for five, ten, or perhaps fifteen years.
The person works the job waiting and waiting for the right promotion, the perfect opportunity. The person doesn’t want to lose what he or she has – steady income, health insurance, and stock options. Even though the good worker knows the wait is ultimately not beneficial to him or his family, he continues to wait. He continues to put living on hold so he can manage his day-to-day life.
While these Cuban refugees were waiting for fifty years, the Castro regime continued its rule. The U.S. Government provides them with safe refuge, but that is the extent of the help the U.S. can provide. Many of the people who initially sought refuge at this camp have left, by either returning to Cuba or moving to the U.S. However, those who would not make the decision to either go back or go forth have remained in their place of limbo for almost three generations.
Are you living your life on pause?
Can you imagine putting your life on hold for fifty years, waiting on someone else to give up or die? Now, before you climb atop your high horse, I want you to ask yourself this question: Is any part of my life on hold? I think you will be surprised by your answer.
Are you where you want to be financially? Is your health in tip top shape? What about your relationship?
You may be thinking, “I will get to it in a few months” or “It’s already on my five-year plan.” But my question is: How many months and why are you waiting? How many years have gone by since you first put these items on a five-year plan?
I am not writing this as a judgment against you. I have the same problem. Certain areas of my life just don’t get the attention they deserve. In 2009 I shed twenty pounds. In 2015 I have the twenty pounds back. For the last year, I have told myself that I am going to start a new health regimen.
I have yet to start that new health regimen.
Everyday I feel guilty about putting my life on hold. A life on hold is a life never fully realized. Every time we postpone and do something later that we could or should do right now, we put our lives on hold. Inevitably, if we delay too long, we risk bypassing our optimal window to do certain things and we end up with regrets. I don’t want either of us to end up with regrets, so I want to teach you how to create an action plan so you don’t have to rely strictly on motivation to reach the next level of success, you can rely on your step-by-step action plan.
Download the worksheet entitled, UNPAUSED. Invest an hour or so into doing the exercises, and I want you to really dig deep for the answers to these questions. Once you complete the action plan, get started on your first step in the next 24 hours. Don’t wait. You’ve waited long enough.
We all need a little help in this area and we all have certain aspects of our lives on hold. You will be surprised what treasures you find within yourself when you are working at your maximum capacity and striving to live your life fully. Use the action plan to get yourself back on track sooner rather than later.
If this message resonates with you, share your story in the comments section then share this story with the people in your network. Also like my Facebook page and follow me on Twitter.
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