Hey Reader,

I have been seriously pondering the question: Why do we end up so far away from our dreams?

Neck deep in unsatisfying careers for years, if not decades.
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For me, it's as if I got here on autopilot.

Yes, I choose jobs intentionally, always with a goal in mind. However, that goal was never the MAIN goal, more like a side quest — a distraction.

So, what do we need to unlearn? To ensure the main goal stays in focus.

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Let’s dig in.

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I was born and raised on the beautiful island of Jamaica.

It's a colourful backdrop for a childhood, one that was filled with a criminal amount of jokes, laughter and joy.

As magical as it was, I couldn't shake off a sense of confinement.

The school years were gruelling and felt like a lifetime. I spent most of my time desperately waiting for the school bell.

Our career goals were pre-packaged. ‘Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief.’ Anything beyond that was blasphemy, and you were Destined for a life of struggle.
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Discussions about happiness and fulfillment were nowhere in the mix.

Felt off to me, but what did I know? I was just a pickney (‘child’ in Jamaican patois)

There was minimal discussion about business, investments, creating leverage and setting yourself free.

Absolutely no help in developing a personal definition of success.

Failure? Avoid it at all costs.

If not, you will be labelled a dunce. Shame to your family for the next 5 generations for failing your spelling test.

Individuality and experimentation?

Nope. Stay in line. Otherwise, you will be picked apart.

Good grief.

If your experience was anything like mine, this is why we tremble at the thought of taking a different path.

Working 9-5 in “Cubicle Nation” next to Janice in marketing and Dave in sales for the rest of eternity was presented as the only option.

Naturally, in this environment, it takes a while to develop confidence and an appetite for risk.

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Here are the 3 things you need to unlearn to get back on track:
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1. Neglecting self-awareness​
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You probably don't know yourself as well as you think.

Of course not. What did you expect after a lifetime of ignoring your interests and curiosities in favour of what society thinks is best?

Self-awareness allows you to separate your voice from the discouraging voices implanted in your head, aligning you with your true desires.

Deepening your awareness requires introspection and reflection.

Connect to how an experience makes you feel not just in your mind but also in your body. Pay attention to your internal compass to help you to identify what feels right.

1 thing you can start today: Frequent self-check-ins. To assess your emotions and physical sensations. Is there a tightness in your chest, a tingling sensation, or heaviness?

Self-awareness leads toward career alignment, life satisfaction and away from seemingly prestigious but personally unfulfilling paths.
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2. Striving for perfection

Perfection is stagnation

Unlearn this one quickly cause it does you no good.

The quest for perfection leads to anxiety and avoidance of trying new things.

Instead, stack failures like Legos iterate quickly and publish in public for feedback. Yes, there is a time and place for polished work, but not at the start. Focus on getting feedback.

If it's not ugly when you first publish, you published it too late.

Find a small support group with whom you can share your ugly drafts if you are nervous. The accountability and support will work wonders to keep your goal in focus.

Or rip off the bandaid and publish it to the world. The anxiety wears off quickly.

Failure is your friend; mistakes are your teachers. Perfection wastes your time and delays your progress.

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3. Neglecting communication skills

This is the key to your inner world.

Many, myself included, avoided writing and speaking like the plague to focus on STEM, thinking there was little opportunity.

There is a wealth of knowledge in your head.

Your ability to share it can pave the way to a million-dollar business via monetizing your media, not to mention the other opportunities that arise serendipitously from putting your ideas out there.

You can’t leverage it if it's locked within you.

Take a writing course, do improv to develop wit or Toastmasters for public speaking.

Arts foster creativity, innovation, self-expression and serendipity. They allow you to leverage your inner knowledge base and network with others so opportunities find you.

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Snack For Thought

We aren’t groomed to develop our curiosity or personal definition of success.

We are groomed to neglect our dreams.

If there is one thing that this journey has taught me, it is that there is just as much to unlearn as there is to learn.

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