Let’s get real. The average person spends the first 20-30 years of their life being told what to do. Parents, teachers, managers—everyone has a say. You follow a path that looks like everyone else’s: go to school, get a job, get married, have kids. You pour everything into them, hoping they’ll be more successful than you so they can be happy. And you think, once they’re happy and you’ve retired, then you can finally be happy too. My take? Stop waiting for someday! You get to choose to be happy now.

Here’s the kicker: for the average person I just described, there’s a 40-50 year window focused on a future season when their kids are successful and a future season when they can retire. Happiness is always waiting on “someday.”

Why You’re Not Happy Even Though You’ve Done Everything Right

What if the reason you’re unhappy and not intentionally creating the life you want now is because you aren’t doing meaningful work, work that really matters to you? What if the thing holding you back from realizing your potential is that you’re waiting for a future season when everyone else is happy so you can finally be happy and do meaningful and fulfilling work?

While you wait, you’re on a treadmill to nowhere. Repeating the same 12 months year after year, doing work for 40-50 years with the sole purpose of getting to that future season where you don’t have to work and can finally be happy.

What We’re Missing When It Comes to Being Happy and Feeling Fulfilled

If we’re focused on doing more now so that someday we can live the life we want, we’re missing the point. No wonder people complain about their jobs, kids, and colleagues but do nothing to change it. No wonder we spend so much energy procrastinating, scrolling social media, and dreaming of our two weeks of vacation.

To meet our potential and experience true fulfillment, we need a purpose. We need meaningful work. Since most of us spend the majority of our lives working, it makes sense to do something other than wishing we weren’t working and fantasizing about the days when we have nothing to do and can finally be happy.

What We Need to Change to Create More Happiness and Fulfillment

The average person won’t choose to make a change. But you are anything but average.

A friend once asked me about my long-term goals for my business. When I said I love what I’m doing and hope to do it as long as possible, he was confused. He laughed and asked what I meant. I explained that I don’t want to stop this work. I want to do what I’m doing as long as possible. He laughed again and said, “That sounds awful.”

He doesn’t understand what I know.

I’m not focused on ‘having to work the rest of my life.’ I’m focused on having the opportunity to be challenged, learn, grow, be creative, serve, and make an impact.

His job is a means to an end. For him, the goal is to not have to work.

For me, the experiences I get to have and the impact I get to make through my work are the point. The process of growth and the value I put out into the world every day is the goal.

When I left my career to work full-time in my business, I ran into a woman I know. She told me how brave I was for quitting my job and starting my business. But she then went on and explained that she didn’t understand what I was doing because, in her opinion, “nobody likes their job. That’s why it’s called work.” From her perspective work is something we have to do to eventually do what we want to do. It’s a means to an end.

That stuck with me because most of the people in my life do like their jobs and I’m helping the women in my community everyday to make changes so they can finally do work that matters to them. The sociologist in me wonders how schools, families, communities, and workplaces would change if we thought about work differently.

Resource (blog post): Don’t Postpone Happiness in the Name of Success

Changing Our Perspective on Work to Grow Into Our Potential and Feel Happy Now

What if we viewed work as an opportunity to apply our skills and knowledge to learn, solve problems, make mistakes, and grow with the goal of continually getting better and making a bigger impact? What if we understood that hitting a ceiling just means it’s time for a new opportunity for growth and impact?

If this is the way we see it, when we aren’t fulfilled by our work anymore, we’ll recognize that nothing’s wrong with us. We’ll see it as a sign that we’re ready for more and we’ll intentionally choose to get uncomfortable and move to a new level. As we make this move we’ll know we’re going to be challenged in greater ways. But we’ll be mentally prepared because that’s the game we’re intentionally choosing to play. We want to see what we’re capable of. We’re actively seeking opportunities to grow into our potential.

This way of life isn’t for those who want to get out of work, who don’t want to learn and grow, who’d rather chase a mediocre life without impact and purpose.

You’re Made For More

I’m talking to the woman who’s ambitious. The woman who feels stuck, stagnant, and bored not because something is wrong with her, but because she knows she’s made for more.

You’re here to realize your potential and to use your work, no matter what it is, to impact your life, your kids’ lives, and the lives of everyone you lead.

Stop looking around at what everyone else is doing. It’s time to start being the leader you know you were meant to be—in your career, home, business, and relationships.

It all starts with you.

Resource (blog post): How to Create a Life You Love

Stop Telling Yourself This is Normal. You Deserve More.

You’re sitting on a goldmine of untapped potential. The only way to tap into it is to get comfortable being really uncomfortable. Get clear on your values. Own your strengths. Find out what drives you and gives you the energy to keep showing up and making an impact. Have the difficult conversations, feel the uncomfortable emotions, and make a change.

The average person will not do this. The average person will stay comfortably uncomfortable—repeating the same 12 months year after year. And then they’ll look back with regret that they didn’t have the courage to make a change.

YOU are anything but average.

If you’ve fallen into the “normal” trap and feel uncomfortable because you know what you’re doing isn’t what you’re meant to do, there’s nothing wrong with you.

Accept that discomfort as a sign that your vision for your life is bigger than the reality you’re currently living.

It’s time to stop following the crowd, ignoring what you’re capable of, and sleepwalking through your life.

It’s time to wake up and be honest with yourself. You were made for so much more.

Your life is desperately waiting for you to courageously show up and live it.

What are you waiting for?

You literally don’t have time to waste scrolling, numbing, doubting, comparing, complaining, waiting, and wishing things were different. Nobody is coming to save you. Except you.

Everything you want is on the other side of getting uncomfortable and taking action.

Your true potential and the potential of those you are leading awaits. So I’ll ask you again.

What are you waiting for? Let’s do this!

I’m a life coach for ambitious women who know they’re made for more and want to make some changes so they can live a life they can look back on and be proud of. If you’re ready to work side by side with me to figure out what you want, uncover what’s holding you back, and learn how to take action toward what matters to you, I would love to help you. Learn more about how to work with me here: Katrina Klooster Coaching.