Dave Maynard’s Post

I recall a day in November, when I walked home in the pouring rain, feeling completely burnt out from working almost round the clock. I realized that this was neither healthy nor good for me. I asked myself, "Why am I doing this to myself?" The answer that came to me was that I needed to make money, but that left me feeling disconnected from my heart and the joy of creating. I believe we often blind ourselves with paychecks and forget that we have a choice to live a purposeful life. My purpose is to enjoy life while making the world a better place using my unique skills through coaching. Practically that means I help to improve careers, be better at networking, and be happy in the new world of work. For me, success means being there for myself and others. I became conscious of the fact that I was often there for others more than I was for myself. Back in that day in november, I promised myself that I would take care of myself and take a vacation. Today I am standing in a wework in Capetown, feeling more connected to my "why" than ever before. Helping others find joy and connection in the new world of work brings me joy. And it is my privilege, honor and pleasure to do so. It’s not all sunshine and there are ups and downs. Especially being self-employed. 
But I am successful. I am there for myself and others. Finally. What about you? What is your why? and what does success mean to you? #careerhappiness #careertransition #coaching #selfleadership

Here's how to find the perfect balance between passion and well-being at work! In the whirlwind of our commitment to a better world, we, non-profit organizations, often carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. It's a calling, a heartfelt urge that drives us to go further. But, in the midst of this passionate quest, one question remains: how do we ensure that our dedication doesn't turn into burnout? The secret lies in balance. 🍃 A healthy work environment isn't just a place where we come to work; it's a space where we come to grow, share, and yes, sometimes even to dream. It's understanding that dedicating time to our team's well-being is just as crucial as pursuing our mission. Because a fulfilled team is the engine of a successful mission. 🚀 That's why we commit to creating this balance, to being attentive to everyone's needs, to encouraging sharing and mutual support. Because, ultimately, taking care of our team is taking care of our mission. And you? How does your organization find this balance? Let's share our experiences and learn from each other. Together, let's build a future where well-being and commitment go hand in hand. 💌 Share your story with us in the comments or in a private message. How do you maintain passion while preserving balance?

I saw a post today where someone wrote “Work and life are not two separate things.” …spoken like a true workaholic, lol, that was my first thought. It’s ok if you agree with the statement above, I’ve been there too! To each their own, but these days I couldn’t disagree with it more. While many define themselves almost entirely by their work, and might feel a lack of purpose when thinking about themselves beyond their jobs, I believe that work should not be the dominating factor in anyone’s life. What would most of us do if we didn’t need money? Probably not work lol, at least not 8-10+ hours per day for 5+ days per week. Regardless of how “aligned” a job may feel, I believe our time here is a precious commodity that should not be wasted in an office or job site. I’ve personally found the happiest people on all corners of the earth to be those with less material wealth and an abundance of free time. Because we all adapt to our environments, and our perceptions completely frame our reality, it’s easy to convince ourselves that whatever way we are living is “correct”. Even if 70% of our days are given to an employer, as long as everyone else is doing too it then we feel validated and accept it as normal. I don’t imagine my opinion here will win any popularity contests in an echo-chamber for toilers like LinkedIn. I understand the society in which we live requires money, and almost everyone wants more of it. Perhaps I’m playing devil’s advocate for that someone out there who simply needs to hear an opposing view. “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” -Charles Dickens

As many of you know, my husband and I moved across the country last year. A lot of people ask how we're doing and how we're liking the area and what we think about the move. And the short answer is, so far so good! 🤗 As a child, I moved around quite a bit, and that taught me some valuable life lessons that have come in handy in various aspects of my life. Here are a few nuggets of wisdom that I've learned along the way: 1️⃣ Embrace your new surroundings. Reach out to clubs and organizations that catch your interest, lend a helping hand by volunteering, and say yes to new opportunities. Spend about six months being open to everything that comes your way, and you'll likely discover those special places where you truly belong. 🌈 2️⃣ Don't look back too much. For me, this is Instagram-related. When I know I'm making a move, I immediately unfollow all my favorite local haunts. Yes, it's hard, but it's vital for me to look forward, not back. Then I search cool things in my new place and follow them. This builds excitement and also keeps me from doomscrolling once I arrive and feel a little homesick. 📸 3️⃣ Expect it to be hard. My general rule of thumb is that the first 3 months will be exciting. By month 6 you'll have a minor breakdown and question what the heck you've done. In month 9, the new place will start to feel like home. By accepting this timeline, it becomes easier to recognize that any discomfort we experience isn't a reflection of ourselves, but rather a part of the adjustment process. 🗓️ I HATED moving as a kid. But as an adult, I've learned to view it as an adventure and embrace it with confidence. I know I have the resilience and skills to make any place work for us. 💪 Now, I'm curious to hear about your experiences. Where have you unexpectedly found valuable life lessons? Share your stories below! 🤔 Photo: Our first Virginia snowfall! ❄️

“If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life.” This phrase is often used as a motivational mantra, particularly in academic settings, to encourage individuals to pursue careers aligned with their passions. However, the reality is more nuanced. Our journey began with a shared passion, driving us to pursue projects that excite and inspire us. This passion transforms our daily tasks into something beyond mere work. We often find ourselves eagerly completing one project only to dive into the next, making the concept of "work" seem almost irrelevant. It feels like there aren't enough hours in the day, but the notion of mundane work disappears when we're driven by what interest us. To maintain our enthusiasm and tackle challenges with a positive mindset, we consistently revisit what initially ignited our passion. An example of our commitment to passion-driven work is taking annual trips with our employees to events like “High on Cars”, happening on Saturday, June 1, 2024, in Hjortshøj. Such events allow us to connect with others who share our interests and fuel our passion even further. We look forward to immersing ourselves in the community and drawing inspiration from fellow enthusiasts. For those who share our interest – both potential partners and possible future employees our door is always open.

You Are Not Your Work Throughout my life, I relentlessly pursued empty titles, promotions, and commendations. I would scour job listings and opportunities based on these superficial markers and try to mold my life around my work. Unfortunately, after enduring twelve-hour workdays, there wasn't much "left" when I finally got home. But today, my perspective has shifted. I've reordered my priorities to focus on what truly matters to me: My family (including the friends who have become my chosen family). Faith (nurturing my relationship with God). Helping people (dedicating myself to serving others). Freedom (taking charge of my destiny by starting my own business). Gone are the days of chasing after workplace accolades. Instead, I've honed in on what brings me genuine happiness and fulfillment. My core values now serve as my guiding principles, shaping the very foundation of my business. For instance, I used to spend a staggering 80% of my time traveling in my previous roles. When I constructed my own business, I deliberately designed a structure that allowed me to reduce travel by taking on virtual clients. Even when I do travel for speaking engagements, I often bring along my husband and daughter to ensure that I'm not sacrificing precious family time. Moreover, as I built my company, I envisioned a business that could assist those who couldn't afford my services. This led me to launch a YouTube channel, offering free content to help a wider audience. My paid corporate training and key note speaking fees help fund my other non-paid services. And when times get rough, which it often does, I repeat my mantra: In the relentless pursuit of earning a living, never forget to build a life worth living. Love, Lan Phan community of SEVEN Excerpt from my book Do This Daily, coming out in 2024. You can pre-order my book Do This Daily: Secrets to Finding Success, Happiness, and Purpose in Work and Life: https://lnkd.in/ehxiRfA9 #DoThisDaily

As many of you know, my husband and I moved across the country last year. A lot of people ask how we're doing and how we're liking the area and what we think about the move. And the short answer is, so far so good! 🤗 As a child, I moved around quite a bit, and that taught me some valuable life lessons that have come in handy in various aspects of my life. Here are a few nuggets of wisdom that I've learned along the way: 1️⃣ Embrace your new surroundings. Reach out to clubs and organizations that catch your interest, lend a helping hand by volunteering, and say yes to new opportunities. Spend about six months being open to everything that comes your way, and you'll likely discover those special places where you truly belong. 🌈 2️⃣ Don't look back too much. For me, this is Instagram-related. When I know I'm making a move, I immediately unfollow all my favorite local haunts. Yes, it's hard, but it's vital for me to look forward, not back. Then I search cool things in my new place and follow them. This builds excitement and also keeps me from doomscrolling once I arrive and feel a little homesick. 📸 3️⃣ Expect it to be hard. My general rule of thumb is that the first 3 months will be exciting. By month 6 you'll have a minor breakdown and question what the heck you've done. In month 9, the new place will start to feel like home. By accepting this timeline, it becomes easier to recognize that any discomfort we experience isn't a reflection of ourselves, but rather a part of the adjustment process. 🗓️ I HATED moving as a kid. But as an adult, I've learned to view it as an adventure and embrace it with confidence. I know I have the resilience and skills to make any place work for us. 💪 Now, I'm curious to hear about your experiences. Where have you unexpectedly found valuable life lessons? Share your stories below! 🤔 Photo: Our first Virginia snowfall! ❄️

How are you doing it all? This is a question I got for nearly 4 years. → I was working a full-time job. → I was going to class for 4 hours at night. → I was raising our newborn. → I was running a business. → I was staying active → I was maintaining friendships → I was networking Not understanding how I juggled it all. And even more so, why I wanted to? It would have been easier to not juggle half of those parts of my life. → To simply show up to work. → Go home. Enjoy my family. → Come back and do it all over again. That would have been easier. → There were days I left at 6am and got home at midnight. → There were days I had no energy. → There were days I questioned my choices. → There were days I struggled to find answers. But the things we want most aren’t built from easy. I wanted more. More for myself. My family. My life. If you're out here taking on multiple responsibilities, juggling personal and professional goals, and building skills for yourself. It may not be easy today or tomorrow. But know it’s all working to get you to where you need to be. #growthmindset

4 things I've left behind on the subject of 'being a man' that I want you to know... Because this stuff matters.: 1. I need to have everything figured out -- I'm figuring it out just like everyone else along the way, what is clear is my sense of direction, how we get there 🤷🏽 2. My role is to provide financially -- this is hard-wired, but my role is to provide far more than the pennies...I need to sustain my energy to be able to provide support, safety, and general sense of calm 3. It's not ok to cry -- tears are not nearly as far from the surface for me as they once were since becoming a dad 😂 4. I am a family man and a career man -- I'm both, but neither label really captures how I make decisions...I make career decisions that enable me to both be present with + provide for my family -- not one or the other -- a delicate balance I strive to be the best version of myself for more than myself, To be present with and to provide for my family These ideas are core to what motivates me in my career, They generate energy and focus, They contribute to my sense of purpose Good times and bad times will always happen throughout life and career, But being anchored by the ideas that are most important to you Help you to stand firm through the winds of change Let's let go of your many labels And strive to be the person that you want to be You are much more than a label -- Instead of identifying with a label Decide what motivators you identify with instead. Start there and make big decisions accordingly. + Ready to be more of person you strive to be in life and work? Send me a DM to join the waitlist for our 1:1 programme re-opening in September #careerstrategy #lifeandcareerhappiness #happiness #lifestrategy I'm Nejmi, Founder of Careeryse, we help individuals create thriving careers and lives and help Founders to create the conditions for their people to thrive in.

Do you ever feel like the photo below at work? There must be more to do throughout the day, or is the job no longer fulfilling? Do you feel like your mental and physical health is on the back burner? Here are some things you could do to enhance and improve your work day! 1. Engage with your co-workers. Not saying make them your best friends, but getting to know the people you spend most of your days with is important 2. Contact your manager and let them know you seek advancement and more challenging work. 3. Spearhead a project for your department. They are always looking for the next progressive idea, so present your idea! 4. This might sound generic, but go for a walk. Sometimes, we need a few moments in our day to breathe deeply, which cannot happen behind a computer while you're eating your lunch and working at the same time. Your breaks are there for a reason. Use them for you! 5. Be intentional with how you structure your day. Do you want to front-load all your work into the first 3-5 hours or space it throughout the day? Sometimes, we need to change our environment, but sometimes, it can also be our internalized mindset. We have to get our minds right to find the purpose and continue the work we love. Sometimes, taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture is what we need to do to not feel like the cartoon below ❤️. One thing I have learned working in Workforce Development, program implementation, and Establishing Non-profits is that we determine how we see our work and how much we love it.