In the late seventies, I relocated from a metro area southwest of Chicago to Eugene, Oregon, as a lifestyle choice. I was a cross-country runner and had decided to live in the "track capitol of the world." What better place could there be to test my mettle and pursue my running passion, other than running the same turf as that of track star legend, Steve Prefontaine? Living the ambiance of the area was great; however, I had a serious wakeup call when I attended my first business lunch. Needless to say, the cultural pace was definitely different, and I quickly realized I'd have to rethink my strategy, in order to be successful.
I recently spoke with my Bend Business Group on the topic of pace—the pace of business, networking and achieving a sense of success and professional accomplishment every day. It's curious how quickly our perceptions about our own professional accomplishments seem to diminish, if there is a dramatic change in pace. The group responded with sage and savvy feedback that spoke to keeping a primary focus on ensuring professional endeavors stay consistently aligned with personal goals. Later in the evening, I reflected on the group's discussion and the essence of the message crystallized into this: If we make changes to enhance our quality of life, vis-a-vis a change-of-pace, it is both wise and prudent to be cognizant of the criteria by which we are measuring our success.
I relocated to Bend, in order to achieve my personal goal of living in the high desert. A growing number of professionals, such as myself, have realized significant personal value living and working in Central Oregon; and, although our presence is somewhat yet obscure, the percentage of national companies headquartered in the Bend area is, in fact, steadily growing. Statistics reveal an ever-increasing number of executives and independent professionals are choosing lifestyle first, and accommodating livelihoods second. This is certainly a departure from historical status quo thinking; however, more and more folks have realized moving their households and re-headquartering their operations is not only doable, it's preferential. Simply put, a higher priority value is being placed on quality of life.
Rhonda Robinson, Principal & Corporate Strategist
Robinson Enterprises, LLC
www.RobinsonROI.com
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