By Kristin Kaufman

If you are like most of us, you are on a quest to uncover what you really want to do with your life. No matter where in the world we are, we stumble upon random encounters. These chance meetings rarely happen by choice. Almost everyone we meet brings unique experiences and perspectives to life and the workplace. They may present us with a random opportunity that can lead to greater things. If we treat these encounters wisely, and they may help us reach our ultimate life goals. 

Recently, I was on a flight, and the gentleman to my right struck up a conversation with me. His energy grabbed my attention. It turned out he was returning home to see his family. He explained how his long-term corporate job had been everything he had always wanted. The pay and benefits were great. The challenges he faced molded him into an effective leader, established his proven-track record, and he had successfully climbed the corporate ladder. However, after 20 years with that Fortune 50 company, he had recently made the decision to let it all go. He realized, at some recent juncture, that his values were simply not aligned with his company’s new direction. I wondered how many of us would take the risk of quitting our jobs on the spot if we knew we simply would not be satisfied going forward?  Just how strongly do we hold our values – when push comes to shove? 

The gentleman reminded me that our identity is not tied to our company. Our identity is our own. Our job doesn’t have to turn us into a completely different person. He realized that staying aligned with himself meant finding his own benchmarks of identity. Each of us must ultimately  stay true to ourselves to reach our life goals. We are allowed to choose our own unique paths to fulfill our goals. And, we may truly find the meaning of life in the process.  

So next time we board a flight, find ourselves sitting in a waiting room, or at a coffee shop, we might consider striking up a conversation with the person next to us.  We actually never know who we will meet, what we could learn and the impact their story may have on our lives.

About the author:

Kristin Kaufman is founder of Alignment, Inc.™, formed in 2007 to help individuals, corporations, boards of directors and non-profits find alignment within themselves and their organizations. A prolific writer, Kristin’s first book, Is This Seat Taken?, centers on her global experiences seeding her journey toward alignment. The book is scheduled for release in November 2011. Kristin is on Twitter as @KristinKaufman.

Kristin Kaufman