It’s more than the end of the year—it’s the end of a decade! That means it’s the perfect time for you to take old, nagging problems and put them to bed. You’ll need to make smart choices to achieve that goal. So, we’ll talk about three ways you can use the soft skill of discernment to help you make those choices in the December series, That’s a Wrap!
Have you ever gone out on a limb thinking, What’s the worst that can happen? and then regretted it? You’re in good company—Cindy Crawford had the same problem!
Unlike other supermodels who used modeling as a
stepping-stone into films, Crawford wasn’t that interested. But blockbuster
producer Joel Silver was determined to cast her in one of his projects. And not
in a cameo—he
was offering the lead. So, he called and called and called.
After months of badgering, Cindy finally thought, Why not? What’s the worst that can happen? As it turned out, a lot could happen. But none of it was good.
Cindy had been on plenty of sets, but she learned she didn’t
like the time it took to shoot a film vs. a magazine cover. Strike one. She
discovered she didn’t particularly like inhabiting a character. Showing her
personality was an important part of her fashion work, but that was off-limits
in acting. Strike two. And she certainly didn’t like the negative blowback she
received for a project where she didn’t have creative control. Strike three.
She says, “[The movie] was a failure according to the world. But for me personally, it wasn’t a failure. I also learned I’m not good at acting. And it doesn’t resonate with me. I’m comfortable being in front of a camera—as myself. So, what a gift! I could just put that aside. Now, all of a sudden, I could stop wasting time on ‘Do I want an acting career?’ and now I have that time to pursue things that really are my passion.”
Like Cindy Crawford, you may be at a turning point where you look back at the year or even the last ten years and think, That thing I thought I could ace? I started it, followed through, gave it my all, and it turns out that it’s STILL not for me!
That declaration may seem harsh, but here’s the upside: It allows you to take all the energy you’re spending trying to crank up what isn’t working and redirect it towards something that will give you joy. Doesn’t that sound like a relief?
Here are three ways for you to discover if the moment has
come to let something go:
This week, give yourself a gift by making a shrewd decision. Take what is draining or distracting you and call it a wrap!