WHAT IS THAT YOUR BIG IDEA?

Where are you going in life? What excites and haunts and
challenges you? What really IS your "Big Idea?"
I am intrigued at how often the richest, luckiest people in the
world can't decide what to do with our lives. Too often we
"try" things, we are interested in a dozen projects and
have an impossible list of things "to do", but we seem
unclear about who we are and where we are going in life.
Last week I was in  a presentation about "value-based goal-
setting" and in our discussions it seemed that many of the
high-achieving professionals in the audience were unclear
about what to do with their lives. They talked about being
"restless" and feeling "empty". Doctors complained about a
lack of respect, while teachers and clergy questioned
whether their work was "relevant."
I found it extraordinary!
I remember my grandfather sitting on the porch, watching
the day go by. I remember when people went fishing and
families ate dinner together. I remember a time when life
didn't seem so "hard", and I wonder what happened?
In large part, I think we got confused between "success"
and "happiness." Ultimately, success is - don't take me
too literally here - a losing game. Success is a game
played on the "outside" and the rules and the winners are
decided by people who do not necessarily have your best
interests at heart. It's a game that is tough to win, and
the victories are temporary, often hollow.
Happiness is an "inside" game. Happiness comes from the
heart and the rules are set by the one person who ALWAYS
puts your interests first. Happiness is about fulfillment,
satisfaction, meaning and purpose.
Happiness is about what you give, what you build, and the
difference you make. Success is about what you get, and
what you keep after taxes.
Happiness lasts, while success may last only until someone
younger, stronger, smarter or richer comes along. In the
pursuit of happiness you get to set the rules, you get to
determine the winners and you get to keep the prize.
Now, I love competing and I love to win. I love setting
and achieving goals and I love working with highly
successful people. Particularly in the short-run, success
often brings great happiness, but the two are not the same
and we dare not confuse them.
Success is about recognition from others; happiness is
about peace with yourself. Success is about getting;
happiness is about giving. Success is temporary; happiness
endures in the hearts and memories of others.
So, what makes you truly happy? What brings you joy? What
challenge or dream calls you? What are you doing with your
one and only, magnificent life?
Every human life is unique and we are born for greatness.
We are born to live on the edge, to learn and grow, to make
mistakes, to fall and to get back up again.
I remember when Martin Luther King, Jr. stirred the nation
and the world with his declaration that he had a dream, a
dream of living in freedom and dignity, a dream of being
free, free at last.
What's your dream? Define and clarify it. Write it down,
and proclaim it to the world. Live your dream. Let the
whole world see your dream! Let the world cheer and be
awed by the power of you and the power of your dream.