A significant barrier to figuring out what we really want to do is the

voice in our head that warns us to stop when we consider or start doing

things that are not broadly seen as “normal.”

If we don’t define “enough,” we default to

more

, which makes it

impossible to understand when to say

no

.

I am not

nuts. I am happy. I am successful on my own terms. Because if

your success is not on your own terms, if it looks good to the world

but does not feel good in your heart, it is not success at all.

– Anna

Quindlen

ased on the experiences of others who leave the default

path, this stage of contradiction is common. You take a last stand,

doubling down on the existing path despite all evidence that it is no

longer working.

Many

people who leave the default path do so because they’ve become cynical

and are driven by a desire to escape. But escaping is only the first step

of leaving a certain path behind. In order to create a sustainable journey

and path, it requires finding ways of orienting to the world that leave

space for hope.

shift your mindset from what you lack to what you have to offer,

from ambition to aspiration, and from hoping that joy will result from

a specific outcome to experiencing it as a byproduct of your journey.

On the default path, optionality can be a trap. This is because you

are trapped within your own career narrative. On the pathless path,

however, optionality can pay consistent dividends because you are not

holding out for another job but leaving space for a little more life.

On the default path, your job often provides recognition

and praise.

When you are on your own, without a specific job or

colleagues, you may miss that kind of support.

This is why it’s so

important to know what kind of people you want to work with and

who you want to serve.

Behind our money fears are existential fears, like the fear of death or the

fear of not being loved, respected, and admired