Page 84 - Talane Miedaner - Coach Yourself to a New Career_ 7 Steps to Reinventing Your Professional Life (2010)

72 COACH YOURSELF TO A NEW CAREER

lots more money! The following are some assignments and games
to get you thinking outside of the box and designing the life you’ve
secretly dreamed of. Have some fun with these exercises!

If Money Were No Object

Every once in a while, it is a good idea to break through our lim-
ited thinking about what is possible. Now that you want to change
careers, it is the perfect time to think about what your ideal life
and work would be. I usually do this
exercise at family get-togethers with my
I only want enough mother and sisters after dinner. Here is
to keep body and soul how it goes: Ask your friends and fam-
apart. ily members the question, “If you had
all the money you could ever want,
—DOROTHY PARKER what would you do?” Then go around
the room and see what everyone says.
Alternatively, you can simply take out a
pen and write down at least one hundred things you would do, be,
or have if money were no object. You don’t need to limit yourself
in any way.
An interesting follow-up question you could add is, “If you had
only six months to a year to live, what would you do?”
Or, to do this privately, try the “genie game” instead: Imagine
you are walking on the beach and stumble on a bottle. You pick
it up, and out pops a genie, who hands you a piece of paper and a
pen and says, “You can have everything and anything you want to
do, be, or have. Just write it down on this piece of paper in the next
five minutes.” Do this now! There are no limits. If you want to
fly to the moon, no problem. If you want to become president, no
problem. If you have fantasized about becoming a famous actor,
write it down. If you have always wanted to own a yellow Mini
Cooper, put it down. If you want a house in the mountains or on