Case Study
By Elijah Lawal
Elijah was looking to reassess his career goals in his late twenties, but without a clear idea of the right next move. Here’s how he learnt to understand his values, embrace his true passion, get back on the right course, and get his first book published by Hodder & Stoughton!
Lighting my way
According to theoretical physics, there are multiple realities out there. I often like to spend a lazy Sunday thinking about what I am like in these multiple realities. Undoubtedly in one, I am a televangelist with 80s flair suit in a big old church taking offerings. In another, I’m a sleazy politician; and in another, I am what my parents always wanted me to be – a lawyer. All interesting lives in the grand scheme of things. But I cannot imagine in any reality or universe, a life where I don’t write.
For me, writing is everything. It’s an expression of my innermost thoughts, my creative flair, the way I recognise and understand myself and the main reason for my happiness. I can honestly say that it is my ‘raison d’être’. But I didn’t know any of this before I started working with Alison. Until then, writing for me was just an outlet, something I did without realising the impact that it had, was having and could have in my life. I was not writing to my full potential – sort of like jumping when I could fly, crawling when I could sprint and kissing when I could… well you get the idea.
One of the things that blew my mind once I started working with Alison was coming to the realisation that for some reason, call it evolutionary need to do better or cultural nurturing, we very rarely do the things that make us happy. We fixate so much on what we are bad at that we don’t even take the time to celebrate the things that we are great at. The things we want to do. The things that we know deep in the closets of our souls that we are meant to do.
So Alison asked me what it was I wanted to do. I mean really asked me. She didn’t ask me the way a guidance counsellor or a parent would ask. She asked me in a way that was free of moral and legal obligation. She asked me in a way that you would ask a kid what flavour of ice cream they wanted – an assortment of flavours and I, only I had the power to choose which flavour I wanted. So I thought about it, really thought about it; throwing off the weights of grown-up responsibility and I realised what should have been apparent to me oh so long ago. I realised that I wanted to be a writer.
Since this realisation, we have met regularly to make sure that I am on the right path – the path of my choosing. Alison let me realise that I have a choice and the choice will forever remain mine. That I will never have to do something that I don’t want to do. That I don’t have to run towards what I want to do but can take my own time and pace. Hell, I can moonwalk towards it if I wish.
I have done more impactful writing over the past eight months than I have done over the past 20 years since I started writing. I WILL become a writer and it is largely because of Alison. For anyone fortunate enough to become a client of Alison’s, get ready because you are about to realise what makes you happy and I say this with zero exaggeration – your life is about to get infinitely better.
In it he tackles racist stereotypes with smarts, stats and a dash of hilarious magic. It’s available on Amazon and other online book stores so check it out here!
Elijah followed his heart and gave it his all, and he’s a testament to what’s possible when you allow yourself to identify and truly go after what you dream of.
If you’re interested in doing the same, whatever your end goal ends up being, get in touch for a no-strings chat.
(And yes, I shed a tear when I saw his utterly unexpected dedication!)