When the Left-Field Move Is the Right One for Now
On money, meaning and changing pace
You may have heard the theory of
Know. Do. Be.
Learn the thing.
Do the work.
Become successful.
Simple. At least on paper.
The Know…
For a long time, I believed success would feel a certain way once I reached it. That after enough hard work, experience and mountain tops climbed, there would be this overwhelming feeling of certainty and clarity.
What I found was something more interesting. When I stood on a recent mountain top and although grateful for past experiences as is the journey, the view didn’t look the way I’d imagined and that’s where the beauty lies.
Rockingham City Park, Perth
Relatively settled in my new city. I’m now grappling with the definition of success; I looked it up and it primarily means:
Accomplishment of an aim or purpose, the attainment of wealth or position. A person or thing that achieves a good result.
When you want to be successful or feel you’re perceived as someone that will ‘do well’ and create ‘success’, you of course want to choose a path that will have the highest chance of working out but decisions are a best guess calculation in my opinion anchored by hoping for a positive outcome.
The version of success I was chasing came with a cost and I never stopped long enough to question it and as I sit in this pocket of time, I find myself delving into what – Time, Energy and Focus will look like and then the penny dropped that these will act as my three key pillars in navigating the season ahead combined with my signature D.R.I.V.E(Determination, Redirection, Insight for foresight, Vibe and Energy) decision-making framework.
Time – Appreciate it for what it is and enjoy the moments
Patience – Learn to embrace this as a growth opportunity
Focus – Energy toward my projects (Blog, Podcast and writing)
The Do…
I feel like I’ve been making ‘left field’ moves (new location and job applications) almost determined to go in the opposite direction of what I normally would. The first left-field – move to Perth. Testing my message of adaptability on myself to see if I could do it and being adaptable is ‘agility’ personified.
Although the way I operate best is with a plan including scenarios being thought through, bases covered, allowing momentum with draft contingencies to deal with road bumps when they occur and with this life decision, I was like naah - let’s just do it.
Perth gave me an instant sense of peace, connection and an opportunity to live a life that is quieter, slower versus my former ‘on-the-go’ central city lifestyle which I did love because of the constant movement, sights, sounds and the busyness of the hustle and bustle.
So, when I contemplated Perth, with the more chill lifestyle, it did cross my mind, if I’ll get ‘bored’ which created a level of curiosity and a challenge I wanted to pursue. Curious to see how I’ll handle the potential ‘Omg I’m bored’ moments and what I need to tap into to stay the course.
It’ll be interesting to navigate because I don’t have distractions to draw on with living in the suburbs unlike when I was living on Cuba Street, Wellington Central (NZ), where I could pop down from my Apartment to the local cinemas or message a mate ‘let’s go get coffee’ easy to do when you all live 10mins from each other.
In a world obsessed with growth, speed - slowing down feels odd and I questioned myself, if I was moving backwards with my move across the ditch and after some thought, this season will be about where I choose to channel my energy as well as tapping into how I’ll deal with potential boredom of the quiet life.
Syren St, Rockingham, Perth
The Be…
We’re often told to be grateful for opportunities and believe there’s truth in that. But I also think there’s a difference between appreciating where you are and forcing yourself to stay in spaces that no longer align.
I’ve attended several interviews and found some recruitment processes interesting whilst others straightforward. I feel caught between two choices: pursuing the money or pursuing the meaning that comes from new experiences. In my search so far, the roles that offer one do not always seem to offer the other, especially at the lower end of the salary range. It has created a quiet tension between gratitude for what is available and alignment with what feels right for this season.
For me, this season feels different and each time I do my quick pep talk ‘you got this Zee’ before walking into interview rooms to meet the panel. I find myself caring less on being focused on proving my value and focused on creating a ‘You get what you see’ conversations.
That doesn’t mean I’m not putting my best foot forward. It simply means I’m less attached to the outcome and less fixated on the salary range. Given the cost of living, even writing that feels a little wild. But that tension is exactly what inspired this week’s blog: as I re-enter the workforce, will my next decision be guided by money or by meaning?
Sounds like a TV voice over – “Stay tuned for the next episode of Power in Change” ha-ha!
Don’t get me wrong - I like money. It gives you freedom; helps you move faster and can create a sense of safety. But as I settle into my new city, I reflect on the value of experiences and what it adds to life.
So, this is the question at the heart of my job search: do I choose roles that are familiar and aligned with my experience and a salary that reflects that background? Or do I take the left-field route and pursue something completely different, knowing it may come with a tighter - though still manageable budget?
Introducing The Rig – The Know. Do. Be. Engine room.
The Rig
I hate flat pack installs but I managed to put this together myself which challenged my resilience and little patience I had to begin with in using the right screws, nuts and bolts! I did consider paying an extra fee for someone to put it together part-way through ha!
But I thought no, this is a new season, new ways of doing things and I am chuffed at how the Rig turned out. I call it the Rig as it tells my brain it’s time to build and helps with focus.
Almost like an artist stepping into their workshop or cave. Experimenting, unlearning and creating without fully knowing what will emerge yet.
I’m beginning to think adaptability looks a lot like that. Not constantly chasing the next mountain, but having the self-awareness to recognise when your priorities, pace and definition of success are changing.
Maybe success isn’t meant to stay fixed forever but meant to change shape as we do.
The observations I’d like to offer from my week:
Not every season of growth looks impressive from the outside.
Sometimes slowing down is not a setback, it’s preparation.
The hardest expectations to let go of are often the ones attached to who we used to be.
So, whether I choose money or meaning when it comes to job offers. The question circles back to;
What season am I in and are my choices aligned with it?
For now, it seems the left-field move(s) are the right ones and I feel reassured that my three key pillars of - Time, Patience and Focus will provide the thought process to keep moving forward.
Walk home, Read Street, Waikiki, Perth
