How the power of a fun and meaningful goal helps Fumi get closer to her DREAM job 🔥🚀✈️

When we know where we are heading and genuinely want to get there, it’s easier and more fun to navigate daily and long term choices and habits🗺️🧭 

Here is Fumi’s story of how her vision, powers her way forward🚀✈️

A few years ago, I walked into a bright meeting room in the new office where we had just moved. At the time, I was working as a career coach, supporting people who were unemployed, or as I prefer to say, ”between jobs” to both find jobs and healthier habits.

As I was planning the session writing on the whiteboard, the room slowly filled with people. Some chatted quietly while others entered in silence. I made eye contact with each person, greeting them with a smile. 😀

Once everyone had settled, I welcomed the group, introduced myself, and explained the plan for our two-hour session.

The people in the room came from many different backgrounds. Some had been without work for more than a decade, while others had only recently found themselves looking for a new opportunity. Some were fluent in Swedish, some were far from that. Some were healthy and strong, some were quite the opposite, unfortunately even ill. 

When the room had gone quiet I asked my first, for some people, provocative question. A question that most times creates a pause.

“Does anyone in this room have a dream?”

Silence.

Then, one hand shot into the air.

A woman smiled from ear to ear.

“I want to become an air hostess,” she said with enthusiasm. 

I smiled to acknowledge her answer and asked,

“Why?”

“Because I want to travel the world.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to see new places and meet people from different cultures.”

“Why?”

“Because it would make me happy. I love meeting and helping different kinds of people. I like dressing professionally, creating great experiences for others, and every day would be different. I’ve dreamed about this my whole life. And of course… having a stable job and salary would be great too.”

As she finished speaking, something changed.

Her smile faded.

I asked her what was on her mind.

She explained that every airline she had looked at required restaurant or service experience. She had neither. She didn’t have connections who could help her and although her Swedish was good, she worried it wasn’t good enough. She had also been through a challenging period in life. And her network of people who could help was non existing.

In her mind, the dream had already become impossible.

So I asked her a different question.

“What do you enjoy doing outside of work?”

Her face lit up again.

“I love cooking.”

That single answer changed everything.

After the session, she came up to me and asked if I could help her create a plan.

Together, we decided that the first step wasn’t an airline.

It was a restaurant.

We found a restaurant job surprisingly quickly. I had great connections with the manager at a restaurant that focused on potential and developing people and skills.

A few months ago, I visited her. She spoke with so much pride about how much responsibility she’d been given, how much she loved her work, how she was challenging herself and had learned so much about customer service. And she was preparing for the next step toward her dream. The energy, focus, drive and motivation she radiated was contagious. 

It reminded me of something I see again and again.

A meaningful vision that genuinely matters for the right reasons changes how we approach obstacles and move forward. 

When we care deeply about where we’re going, we become creative about how to get there.

A strong vision becomes the fuel in the engine.

The glow in the fire.

The wind in the sails.

It helps us stay resilient when things get difficult. It encourages us to find another route instead of giving up when the first one is blocked. It gives us the courage to ask for help when we feel stuck. 

The destination gives meaning to the journey.

So let me ask you…

What do you dream about?

If the answer isn’t obvious, it's ok. Start somewhere smaller.

-What makes you curious?

-What makes your heart tick?

-What would you do if no one saw or judged you that you genuinely like?

-When do you lose track of time?

-What activities leave you feeling energised instead of drained?

-What comes naturally to you?

-If you had no fear and would act anyway, what would you do today?

-What did you love or enjoy doing as a child?

-Who do you know that does something that excites you or seems fun/interesting and why?

The answers to those questions are often clues to a direction, vision and small steps

worth pursuing.

Once you know whats meaningful and energizing to you, doing the right things becomes more natural and feels right. Breaking the vision (goal) down into small steps can makes the journey more concrete, simple, accessible and fun.

What vision is calling you today and who could YOU ask for help?

A journey always begins with a first small step.

What small step can you take today to take responsability for your direction?

Enjoy the process - there are no failures, only mistakes, learnings, experiences and growth if we choose to see it that way😅

💓 With lots of love, your friend Linda!

*Feel free to read previous blogs for strategies to strengthen mind-set, self image and direction