Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart. Rumi.

It is not unreasonable to ask how the musings of an obscure 13th. Century Persian mystic and poet could possibly have any bearing on our super-active, hard-scrabble 21st. century world.

What he was purported to have said, though, was just as relevant then as it is now. It’s not that money isn’t important. Of course it is, but when you are working only for the money, the days can be long and soul destroying.

Stress is endemic. The pressure is great. Increasingly, many are hungering for work that provides both money and personal fulfillment, searching for a way off the treadmill, but are having difficulty finding a good match.

That’s where Rumi comes in. Put another way, what he said was this: Secretly many know what their work is – but the answer is buried so deep in their hearts that only when they are willing to listen will they find it and the shift will only happen with a conscious, concerted effort. Conscious is the operative word.

It is not for everybody, but if you have been thinking about how to make the transition from working only to pay the bills to working at something you love, there is much to consider. The thing is, only you can make the decision. If you are still reading this, here are three things to mull over:

1. Life is finite. Really. There is no encore.
2. You don’t have to believe the stories that other people and society have told you about whom you are and what you are supposed to be doing. They can end up entrapping you. You can write your own.
3. To even consider the first two points takes an inordinate amount of courage – and belief in yourself.

This is not psycho babble. Taking control of your life is challenging but if you do decide to bet on yourself and listen to your heart, you will never look back.

All things at first appear difficult. Chinese proverb.

Whatever your dreams or aspirations, whether they are personal or professional, it’s always good to remind yourself that nothing you do in life that has any real value ever comes easy. There always seem to be something…

It’s at those “something times” that you need to work especially hard at staying positive. Don’t let your gremlins take control. You’re bigger than they are.

If you haven’t already done so, draw up a list of goals and objectives, mindfull of the fact that if there is something you want, if it’s not written down, it’s not a goal. It is only a wish and – at those times when you wonder how you are ever going to make it – refer to these regularly. See how worthy they are.

Hang out with positive people. Step up your exercise regime. Walk more, work out more or get on your bike. Eat right. Sleep right. Regularly write out your thoughts and objectives. Make a note of the progress you are making – and what you still need to do.

Don’t dwell on what has happened in the past. Occasionally cast an eye on the future but live each day in the present.

All things at first appear difficult, sometimes even impossible. But if you’re being honest and you’re doing the work you’re sent here to do, the future and success (however you’re measuring it) will arrive on schedule. Hey! Who ever said it was going to be easy?

A great rivalry existed among the beasts of the forest over which could produce the largest litter.  Some shamefully admitted having only two, while others boasted proudly of having a dozen

At last the committee called upon the lioness.

“And how many cubs did you give birth to?” they asked the proud lioness.

“One,” she replied sternly, “but that one is a lion.” From Aesop’s Fables

Each day, as we continue to recover from the recession, albeit, for many, slower than they would like, the new economy beckons, bringing with it new industries, new opportunities and new attitudes.

Values that many haven’t practiced for at least two generations are back in fashion. Just to name a few…people have rolled up their sleeves and are working harder. Conspicuous consumption is out. Less is more. Doing without if they can’t afford it. It’s quality not quantity.

Everything old is new again…

Continuous learning is dependent upon many factors. One of the most critical is to have an inquiring mind – and to not be afraid to ask questions.
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Questions are essential for growth. Many think that they have all the answers. For them their sense of security and self-image depends upon their thinking that they know it all and, worse still, are never wrong.

They try to understand everything in terms of what they already know – but what they already know is rooted in the past. When you stop inquiring you cutoff growth that eventually leads to the future.

To embrace what you don’t know means you have to give up your fear about not already knowing the answers. Learning and improvement only occurs when you are open to new possibilities and courageous enough to ask questions.

Questions like, “what if?” Or, “Why can’t we do it this way or that?” Or, “I never thought about that. Tell me more.” You get the idea.

One of life’s many axioms is that you can’t grow from what you already know and you can’t learn from what you are unwilling to experience.
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Everything will be all right in the end, so if it isn’t all right, it is not yet the end. An ancient Indian saying.

In our impatient, 140 character Twitter universe, it is good to remember that back of every overnight success are often years of hard work, sacrifice and occasional setbacks.

Nothing of any value comes easy. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Why should your project be any different? Of the many virtues, one of the most valuable is patience.