SIT BACK AND RELAX!
where Cormode’s first summer job was with an outdoor organization. At age 16, surrounded by nature and working with young adults with disabilities, he found a skill set and a sense of purpose. But once the experience was over, and he began working for institutions “where the culture was more about the issues with the culture than helping people,” the feeling began to get lost. So at age 26, Cormode took a leap. “I left my job and went on unemployment insurance, not knowing where I was going, but knowing what I had been doing wasn’t a fit for me anymore.” He decided to take a course in outdoor leadership at Yamnuska Mountain Adventures in Canmore, Alberta. There, he discovered people doing the kind of work he knew he was destined to do. “I didn’t know where it was going, and I was at an age where you think, ‘I should have a more defined path,’ but here I was, doing camp counselling like a kid.” Then one day he climbed a mountain peak and looked around. “A real sense of euphoria and gratitude came over me, and I thought, ‘If I feel this way, how cool would it be for other people to feel that way?’” he recalls. “I literally saw a vision for myself I wanted to explore — and I could see the vision so clearly and where I could go. It completely changed my life.” In 1998, he launched Power To Be, which has since gone on to work with more than 8,000 participants, exposing them to experiences in nature. Like Rettich, Cormode is a strong advocate of visioning. “I try to do my very best to look at my day and the choices ahead, and ask, ‘What’s the desired outcome?’ I picture that goal or outcome and figure out ‘what do I need to do to get there?’ That outcome always has to be ‘Is this outcome in the best interest of Power to Be and is it worth the risk I need to get there?”
The Truth is Out There
We’ll help YOU turn YOUR Dreams into Reality Small Business Strategies, Tax Returns Tax, Business, and Financial Planning
Profit Plans/Proactive Coaching Excellence in Customer Service, Vancouver Island Award Winner (5 years)
Call us! 250-386-4466 711 A Broughton Street (by Victoria Public Library)
Chartered Professional 42 Douglas
Accountant
www.andrewsgreene.bc.ca
So how do you know if you need to move out of your comfort zone? Perhaps the biggest question to ask is this: Is where I am making me happy? Do I have real enthusiasm for my life or am I dissatisfied? This can manifest as feelings of boredom or restlessness, and feeling tired or lacklustre. It can happen to people — and it can happen to organizations. Moving out of this zone, beyond the so-called “terror barrier,” isn’t always easy, but as Tony Joe says, “There are so many people saying ‘there's always tomorrow’ and then they are in their 50s and they say it’s too late. I say that because I’m approaching my 50s — and even though I still feel young at heart, there’s a sense you have to be bold and do it. And if you’re a competitive person, look at it this way: take the leap or someone else will.” ■