When asked if she would continue to perform even after retirement, Beverly Sills was reported to have responded, "No. I've done that already." So many times we complacently stay within the boundaries of our comfort zones. Predictable outcomes spring from predictable behaviors and set the tone for the remainder of our lives.

Job seekers find themselves locked into typecasting deadlocks when work history on a black-and-white resume indicates a pattern of inertia. When spiritually breaking free of the banal routine, the awakened employee finds difficulty convincing a new employer of capabilities other than what history denotes. Yet the sense of freedom earned from realizing we are more than our occupations proves addictive and life-changing. Giving ourselves "permission" to be extraordinary, to step away from the limited viewpoints of our pasts, brings us to fresh experiences and, along with that, to a more fulfilling future.