5 random pieces of advice if you’re not sure what your next life-move is

From Rhiannon Simcocks, CEO, James Home Services Australia

As I waited for my coffee this morning, I was scrolling social media. There were the usual advertisements for pet beds (that look good enough for me to sleep on, let alone my pet!) and for things I’ve recently searched on Google… and then I noticed a post to a local buy/swap/sell group in my region that read… ‘Let’s start a thread of random advice. No topic. Just the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given’. The post was mere minutes old, and already had close to 60 comments and as I started reading there was everything from business advice, to relationship advice, to advice on living life. It was beautiful.

And it gave me an idea…

So, here’s my five random pieces of advice if you’re stuck in a bit of a ‘what’s next for me’ situation. If you’re lacking motivation for your day job, or if you’re considering a business as your next move… or if you’re just dreaming of financial freedom and have no idea where to start to get there… this is for you.

1. It’s ok to not know what’s next

I’ve spent most of my life not knowing exactly what was next for me. And I’m at the point, where I’m at peace with the fact, that we don’t always know what’s around the corner, or where we’ll be in 20 years’ time. I feel a little like we’re expected to have a plan at all times. And whilst I know firsthand, the value of having a plan, sometimes, life just doesn’t abide by the parameters you set for it. There’s no shame in feeling uncertain, and not being sure exactly what’s next… however, don’t let the feeling consume you. Don’t let it paralyse you into a failure to act.

2. Getting ‘there’ is not so hard… when you define what ‘there’ is

Sometimes we forget just how powerful goals can be. I used to feel really uncomfortable about goal setting. I used to figure if I always just worked really hard at whatever was in front of me at the time, then that would be enough to take me places in my life. And I wasn’t hugely wrong – hard work is big component of achieving what you want for yourself and your life. But I was flying blind. One of the most powerful things I began to do, is think about what I want my life to look like in 20 years’ time, and reverse engineer it from there. If you define where it is you’re trying to get to, then all of a sudden you can pick a path that will lead you there, instead of navigating without a map, to a place you haven’t defined.

3. The good news; you’re in control

You may not be in control of all your surroundings, but you are in control of how you respond to them. Your next move. The decisions you make. How you choose to spend your time, and who with. And even recognising the control you have, in the smaller decisions, can be key in shifting your mindset to a place where accountability and control, are your currencies. Exercising the control you do have, can affect change. So once you’ve define where ‘there’ is, take control of how you’re getting there.

4. Self-education is powerful

There is almost no topic we can’t find out more about, by searching online. There is almost no topic untouched by Podcasters, YouTubers or blog writers, to name but a few potential sources. Information is prolific and for the most part, it costs you nothing to access it. Interested in starting your own business? Google it. Listen to podcasts about where to start, watch YouTube videos about the mistakes to avoid. Follow people who interest you, and who are authorities on what you want to know… and then be a sponge to the information around you. It’s everywhere when you start to look. And its empowering. Someone once said to me, the day you stop learning, is the day you commence your decent into stagnation. Harsh. But true.

5. Take the first step, it doesn’t matter how small it is

There’s a well-known illustration that depicts this piece of advice better than any anecdote I could give. Two ladders, side by side. Both stretching from the ground, to the clouds. The ladder on the left has rungs spaced taller than the person standing at the bottom. To reach the first rung, they would need to jump, then who knows how they’d reach the second. The ladder on the right has a much smaller distance between its rungs. Lots of them, but closely together. The steps are smaller, but the person on this ladder is half way up and climbing and the person on the ladder on the left still hasn’t figured how to reach the first rung. It’s the perfect way to say; taking lots of small steps can be far more effective than trying to figure out how to take just a few massive leaps.

I hope there’s been even just one little thing you’ll take away from this article. The school of hard knocks has given me a pretty solid education over the last decade of my life and career. Each of these five pieces of advice, are concepts I have come to live my life by.

And if you’re reading this post because you were actually looking for information on buying a franchise when you landed here… then you’re already nailing points 1 through 4… you’re thinking about what’s next, you have an idea in mind for what you’d like life to look like down the track, your taking control and making decisions for you, and your researching your options! So… why not take the first, small step, and chat to us about the possibility of your very own James business. We seriously enjoy talking to people about their goals and what drives them, to see if business ownership might be a fit! There’s loads of ways you can get in touch with us… so we’ll let you take control of that ; )