Fresh Start Monday #016: Clarity comes from engagement, not thought

I haven't consumed much of Marie Forleo's content, but last week stumbled upon a podcast with her, and she had this great line: "Clarity comes from engagement, not thought."

I've been keeping an open mind for work and gigs. My roommate suggested Instacart. My head went between it's convenient and flexible to not wanting to drive around all day and check things off a list.

The idea rattled in my head for several days until I tried a few orders on a Sunday evening. Speed translates to money. My stress rose as I couldn't find items, customers weren't responsive, and finding house numbers in the dark was cumbersome.

I tried Instacart for a few more days with little improvement; however, it did clarify something for me. I want to create a connection through the service I provide. Instacart felt impersonal. Not much more than a hello.

You get paid for completing a task. Rover and other services are similar, but there's a connection element. Before accepting any booking, we set up a short meet and greet. They care deeply about their pet, and we create a small bond.

I took that insight to Upwork. Resume writing feels like a task. Here's this piece of paper. Make it better. Most resume services don't offer any consultation. You answer several questions from a google form, and in return, you have a resume.

When I added a human component by offering a one-hour initial consultation and a follow-up 30-minute call after the first draft, I found a service I was excited about.

Last Week

I finished my first Upwork contract and received my first 5-star review. I haven't sent out any more proposals yet, but I hope getting hired is much easier.

Applying it to your life

How can you engage with the decision you can't make?

Not sure if you should stay in a relationship? Go to couples therapy. Talk to someone. Tell them you want to work on this. That will give you more clarity than ruminating on what you should do.

Not sure if you should enter a new industry as a career? Enroll in a course. Volunteer. Do an informational interview. That will give you the answer.

The internet is wonderful with all the resources available to us, but it's only once we play with reality that we find the answers we're looking for.