This week I was reminded of the haunting truth that we are
totally responsible for our direction in life.
Too often we get so busy with our daily work that we forget
how much freedom we actually have. As Michael Angier says,
"We get caught up in the thick of thin things." We focus on
the tasks of daily living and rarely take time to chart our
course, choose our values, and design the life we truly
want.
Life can be a source of love and wonder, of joy and
fulfillment, but sometimes in our hurry to run errands,
take care of the family and do our work, we forget to slow
down, look around, live well and enjoy the ride. This is
your life! Don't let it pass you by.
As Henry Thoreau observed 150 years ago, too many of us
live "lives of quiet desperation" not because we are poor,
but because of our desire to have, to do, or to be
something or someone other than who we are.
The good news is that we are already wealthy! Most of us
have access to more books and education, entertainment,
travel, and business opportunities than we could explore in
a life time. Technology has put the entire world at our
feet. We watch concerts and sporting events with a better
view than the best seat in the house! The Internet makes
the greatest books ever written available with the click of
a mouse. And, the wonder is that even the poorest among us
can fully participate in this "rising tide" of rich
experiences.
The rub is that too often we are too busy to notice.
Success, it seems to me, is about choosing the lifestyle
you prefer and accepting responsibility for it. Most
Americans choose to work about 40 hours a week, earning
what we call a "middle class" income. This supplies our
need for food, clothing and shelter, and allows us to enjoy
a nice car, some travel, a few luxuries and time for
television, friends, and relaxation.
A few, however, make other choices. Some choose to work
more, while others play more, travel more, or make other
choices that diverge from the average. While no example
will apply to everyone, typically those who choose to have
more children will have less free time, and perhaps less
discretionary money. Those who spend more time on
recreation may be promoted less rapidly, while those who
pursue an entrepreneurial or business path may have less
"free" time.
The key, of course, is that there no mythical right choice.
There is only the requirement that we make our choices and
take responsibility for our results. You can have almost
any life you desire, but you cannot avoid the necessity to
choose.
One of the great tragedies is that many of our choices are
made without adequate thought or consideration. Someone
offers us a job, and we grab it. We buy a house, settle
down, make friends and believe these things define "the way
things are."
The reality is that we have the power to choose the life we
want. At any time, we can change our minds, and our lives.
We all know people who have transformed their lives through
the power of choice, and so can you! It's not easy, but it
is possible. We all know people who went back to school,
who started a business, who made a decision to transform
their lives. That potential is inside each of us.
As Christopher Marley noted, true success is living your
own life in your own way. This week, take time to dream.
Clarify the life you truly want, jot some notes, make some
plans, and take action. From this day forward, move in the
direction you truly want to go!
Be specific. Start small if you must. Take baby-steps, make
small but persistent changes. Get coaching, ask for advice,
read the instructions, be willing to make mistakes or
false-starts, copy what others have done--great ideas are
free for the taking!--but move in the direction you want to
go. This is your live! There is, really, no alternative.
totally responsible for our direction in life.
Too often we get so busy with our daily work that we forget
how much freedom we actually have. As Michael Angier says,
"We get caught up in the thick of thin things." We focus on
the tasks of daily living and rarely take time to chart our
course, choose our values, and design the life we truly
want.
Life can be a source of love and wonder, of joy and
fulfillment, but sometimes in our hurry to run errands,
take care of the family and do our work, we forget to slow
down, look around, live well and enjoy the ride. This is
your life! Don't let it pass you by.
As Henry Thoreau observed 150 years ago, too many of us
live "lives of quiet desperation" not because we are poor,
but because of our desire to have, to do, or to be
something or someone other than who we are.
The good news is that we are already wealthy! Most of us
have access to more books and education, entertainment,
travel, and business opportunities than we could explore in
a life time. Technology has put the entire world at our
feet. We watch concerts and sporting events with a better
view than the best seat in the house! The Internet makes
the greatest books ever written available with the click of
a mouse. And, the wonder is that even the poorest among us
can fully participate in this "rising tide" of rich
experiences.
The rub is that too often we are too busy to notice.
Success, it seems to me, is about choosing the lifestyle
you prefer and accepting responsibility for it. Most
Americans choose to work about 40 hours a week, earning
what we call a "middle class" income. This supplies our
need for food, clothing and shelter, and allows us to enjoy
a nice car, some travel, a few luxuries and time for
television, friends, and relaxation.
A few, however, make other choices. Some choose to work
more, while others play more, travel more, or make other
choices that diverge from the average. While no example
will apply to everyone, typically those who choose to have
more children will have less free time, and perhaps less
discretionary money. Those who spend more time on
recreation may be promoted less rapidly, while those who
pursue an entrepreneurial or business path may have less
"free" time.
The key, of course, is that there no mythical right choice.
There is only the requirement that we make our choices and
take responsibility for our results. You can have almost
any life you desire, but you cannot avoid the necessity to
choose.
One of the great tragedies is that many of our choices are
made without adequate thought or consideration. Someone
offers us a job, and we grab it. We buy a house, settle
down, make friends and believe these things define "the way
things are."
The reality is that we have the power to choose the life we
want. At any time, we can change our minds, and our lives.
We all know people who have transformed their lives through
the power of choice, and so can you! It's not easy, but it
is possible. We all know people who went back to school,
who started a business, who made a decision to transform
their lives. That potential is inside each of us.
As Christopher Marley noted, true success is living your
own life in your own way. This week, take time to dream.
Clarify the life you truly want, jot some notes, make some
plans, and take action. From this day forward, move in the
direction you truly want to go!
Be specific. Start small if you must. Take baby-steps, make
small but persistent changes. Get coaching, ask for advice,
read the instructions, be willing to make mistakes or
false-starts, copy what others have done--great ideas are
free for the taking!--but move in the direction you want to
go. This is your live! There is, really, no alternative.
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