You’re on to Something

Are you looking for your first job after college? Congratulations!

Did you go to your 20^th college reunion this year and you’re so fried that you’re ready to quit your job? Congratulations!

Believe it or not, you can Bless Your Path either way.

In the June series, we’ll celebrate your professional path, and that includes every step of the journey. The sometimes painful road that brought you here. The superhighway of success that’s out in the future. And where you are right now.

What happens when you speak a blessing over your work life?

• You get comfortable with your choices. You’re not bothered when your Aunt shakes her head and gives you her annual speech about getting an MBA like your cousin.
• You stop worrying about keeping pace with your colleague, who seems to take one big vacation after another and has a new SUV in the garage every other year. You don’t have to make a million dollars. Unless you want to.
• You balance keeping your core values with the need to constantly adapt to the world around you. You find the nerve to make all kinds of changes.

This is what happened for Geoffrey Keating, an artisan furniture maker in Colorado Springs.

Keating was a serious student, ultimately pursuing a doctorate of theology at the University of Notre Dame. Still, he found himself quietly devoting more and more time to woodworking. Making furniture ran in the family, so it was no surprise that woodworking became his side hustle.

He remembers, “In grad school, I started making small things for friends, and then larger pieces, like desks, for professors. I realized it made so much more sense for me in terms of how happy I was. Academia just wasn’t a good fit.”

These days Keating keeps it simple at his studio in a Gold Rush-era building. He spends his time mentoring Colorado College art students and designing custom pieces for clients all over the country. (There’s no word on whether a Hail Mary or two is required with each purchase.)

You may be thinking, “All those years in school – what a waste!” That’s a fair statement, especially if you’re listening to his story through a 1, 2, 3, “make it happen” kind of lens.

But we all know that life rarely runs in a straight line. That’s why it’s important to learn the critical ingredient to Geoffrey Keating’s success: Allowing.

Keating let himself step away from his studies, even if that was just a few hours a week. Then he accepted how much he enjoyed woodworking. Even now, he says that “making furniture is an incredibly satisfying pursuit.” Last, he courageously made a big change. It may have seemed odd to outsiders, but he instinctively knew it was the right choice in the long run.

This week, stop chasing a “someday” happiness.

Where do you lose track of time? When do you feel accomplished at the end of the day? What brings you satisfaction? Listen up – you’re receiving important clues about what belongs in your future.

Do more than follow that path; love it. You’re on to something.