I’ve talked – and written – a lot about the hamster wheel (that track of life that we’re “supposed” to be on, the one we often just accept that we have to traverse) and getting off it, particularly when it comes to starting and having my own business.
And there’s one part that I haven’t really dug into much: that sweet siren song of the hamster wheel that constantly calls me to return.
It’s the part that longs for money landing in my bank account every two weeks; for getting a free lunch on a random Wednesday; for having someone who can cover for you if you’re out sick or on vacation (and the money STILL keeps rolling in); for having people similarly committed to the collective success who you can toss ideas around with; for never having to explain (or defend) your choices because, obviously, everyone knows they are the “right” ones.
Oh there are so many yummy things about that hamster wheel.
So you can imagine how hard it is to resist its beautiful siren song.
But I also know that one of the primary reasons I have a life I love is that I know what I want and I (mostly) stay committed to making and keeping that my reality, even when the hamster wheel starts singing its song.
So I’ve come to adopt a few habits that help me stay OFF the beaten path and on my own, self-carved path. Here they are, in case they help you step off your hamster wheel and onto the path that is all your own:
Call it out. When I feel the pull, for whatever reason, of that old hamster wheel, I say (out loud!) “HAMSTER WHEEL!” Even if I give in to the call, it helps make me aware that the call is coming from somewhere else that is not within me.
Find others who are blazing their own trail. It helps normalize the challenges when I know others face them too, and I have people who will cheer me through the tough spots and remind me why I do it – and for whom I get to do the same. Having that community is huge.
Pick the pain, again and again. I’ve heard this in several ways from several sources, but essentially there is pain in any path. So really, we’re just picking our pain one way or another – so this reminds me that I’m picking the pain that comes with having what I want (vs. the pain of feeling “stuck with” that squeaky hamster wheel).
