Find Your Sweet Spot

“I reached a place of ‘what do I do now?’” That’s a woman profiled by Humans of New York speaking about feeling adrift after her mother, husband and best friend all passed away in the space of a year. Suddenly, the former CEO found herself living alone.

She never set out to run a company. Her natural energy and enthusiasm played in her favor when she began working as a teller at a small Florida bank. She went from working just to pay the bills to running the place. However, she was at a turning point when her personal losses piled up.

The obvious choice was either focusing on retirement or doubling down on the job she knew how to do. But she decided there was something in between making money or sitting on the sidelines. Here’s how she described finding her sweet spot:

I went back to college to get a Master of Public Administration. I’ve already got a job waiting on me back home. I’m the new Director of Broward County’s Business Council on Homelessness. We’re working toward getting homeless people into permanent housing. And I’m really excited.

I want to do a great job. I’m in a place where I can change some lives. It feels like I’ve moved from success to significance.

In the September series, Right View, Right Action, we saw how people used the right perspective to inform their choices. Right view is more than positive thinking. It helps you find the sweet spot between black and white answers and your authentic self, a key Soul Boss principle.

Here’s what we learned:

• In “3 Ways to Stay the Boss of Your Calendar,” we discussed how making the right commitments begins with knowing what you value. Sidestep questionable opportunities by asking questions like:

I’m juggling a lot of priorities right now. What is the time commitment?

I want to do a great job—what am I expected to contribute?

I know everyone’s time is limited. Is there a deadline?

• In “Don’t Compare Yourself to the 1%,” actor Geoffrey Owens replaced comparison with gratitude. He’s decided that his contributions are valuable whether he’s doing a passion project like teaching Shakespeare or working a day job between acting offers. That’s healthy self-confidence.
• In “Make Flexibility Your Middle Name,” we saw Nick bounce from one team to another after his favorite boss left. Instead of adopting a negative mindset, he recognized that the one thing he could control was how he showed up to his clients and colleagues. Then he used adaptability to go with the flow until his work situation settled down.

Like the former CEO, you might be at a crossroads wondering, “What do I do now?” If you’re feeling pressured, pause and remember that right actions begin with right thinking. Keep pushing for alternatives until you find an answer that clicks—that’s your sweet spot. Change your options by changing your mind.