We humans are remarkable in our
ability to cope with
change. Our brains process trillions
of bits of
information, our nervous systems
monitor hundreds of
relationships, and our bodies can
even adapt to fast food
and airline seating. We have grown
accustomed to hurrying,
to living with stress, and coping
with enormous pressures.
We can do this.
But that doesn't mean we were
designed to live this way. In
our rush to keep up, I suspect we
often miss the most
important and most powerful
opportunities life has to
offer.
In terms of human history, we live
in a very strange time.
It is hard to imagine, but until
World War II, it was
unusual to see an orange in winter.
Except for the war, few
people ever traveled more than a few
miles from home.
Telephones were new, televisions
were rare, and there was
no such thing as health insurance.
In 1947, Tom Watson,
founder of IBM, predicted that the
entire world market for
computers would never require more
than a handful of the
expensive, complicated machines.
What does this suggest when it comes
to designing the
environments in which we work and
live our lives? We are in
charge of creating our Personal
Eco-Systems(tm). We design
our homes and our offices. We choose
the furniture, the
music, the colors and the pictures
that decorate our
offices.
We either fill our Personal
Eco-System™ with things that
inspire and encourage us, or we
allow ourselves to be
surrounded by stuff that "just
shows up." This truth has
important implications for all of us
who prefer to live our
lives on purpose:
1. The need for peace and
quiet. I don't think it's any
coincidence that we see a tremendous
interest in
meditation, spirituality, and
"the simple life." There are
many ways to slow down--some of us
read a book, others take
a hot bath, some go for a run. But
if you would achieve
your goals and live the life of your
dreams, create time
for peace and quiet.
2. The need for traditions. We
seem to like rituals. We
have holidays and we celebrate a
lot. We exchange gifts and
have built an industry out of
greeting cards. For some,
tradition is about religious
celebrations or ethnic
heritage. For others, traditions
come from family and
personal experience. Whatever
traditions and rituals are
important to you, take time. Make
time. Include them in
your Personal Eco-System™.
3. The need for wisdom. Never
has it been easier to access
data. We are swamped with
information, but wisdom, insight
and balance seem rare. I think
reading helps. Time for
conversation, thoughtful debate and
listening to our elders
seems to help.
4. The need for persistence. I
am convinced this is one of
the essential requirements for
success, and one of the
greatest casualties of our
high-speed society. Some things
take time! To raise a child, takes
time. To build a life
together, takes time. Building a
business or learning a
profession, or nurturing a fortune,
takes time.
Too often we are like the farmer who
plows and cultivates
the ground, plants the seed, waits a
week, and then
impatiently digs up the seed,
saying, "Where's my crop?"
The hard work that could have
yielded extraordinary riches,
is destroyed. Impatience is the
enemy of success.
Or, how about the entrepreneur who
starts a business and
begins to see success, but upon
hearing of a new technology
or the "Next Big Thing"
rushes off, abandoning the
enterprise. I've heard clients
describe their best talent
as "starting over." This
is not a recipe for success!
In a world of instant communication
and constant change, we
need systems to slow us down. We
need time to breath, time
to rest, time to play, time to
succeed. We need time to
love, to grow, to enjoy our wealth.
As you create your Personal
Eco-System™, defend your right
to slow down. Create spaces
and times to dance, and when
appropriate, to cry. Cherish your
most important
relationships, allow time for
community, for family, for
friends and lovers. And allow time
for your own success.
Remember that most over-night
successes are the result of
many years of effort. Give yourself
the gift of time. You
deserve it!
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