About 2400 years ago, the Greek philosopher, Plato,
was frustrated that life isn't better than it is. He observed
that most of us want life to be richer and more fun, but
life rarely cooperates with our dreams, and that is
incredibly frustrating! Why would life tease us like that?
Plato's theory was that our lives are mere reflections of
an ideal world, a "heaven" that we can glimpse, but never
achieve on earth. Now, I admit that Plato was a very smart
guy, but most of the time I profoundly disagree with him.
I believe we can live wonderful, satisfying lives any time
we set our hearts and minds to do so. With respect to Mr
Plato, I think he was simply confused about how to get
there.
This week, I read the Dalai Lama's book, "Ethics for The
New Millennium" and was reminded that the "good life" is
not achieved by collecting toys or having the biggest house
or the most money. We cannot create a wonderful life by
chasing it; we attract it by the way we live our days.
I also thought about Michael Gerber's distinction between
working "in" your business (working harder and harder,
trying to get ahead) verses working "on" your business to
make it run smoother, more efficiently and more profitably.
I think the same distinction can be made about our lives.
Many of us are working harder and harder, chasing our
dreams. We work for things and for prestige, we work to
pay the bills and we create lives that, in some ways, make
no sense!
I believe it is possible to create and live a life that
comes very, very close to your personal ideal. Whatever
you desire, we live in a time when anything is possible, if
you pursue it effectively. Here are a couple of
preliminary suggestions for working "on" your life to
create what you desire:
1. A Wonderful Life is an "inside job", so start with your
inner world. Find a daily practice that brings you peace,
and follow it with all your heart. Give thanks. Take time
to breath, to smile and be joyful. Practice gratitude.
2. Practice preventive maintenance. Take care of your
body, and your loved ones. No matter what else life
brings, your health and wellness, and the love and
friendship of those around you is essential. Eat well.
Get plenty of rest. Exercise, and hug and laugh with those
you hold dear.
3. Aim high and choose well. In a world of infinite
possibilities it can be difficult to choose the things you
want most in life, but choosing is essential. Choose your
focus. Define your mission. Clarify your values and
priorities and make sure your actions reflect your choices.
4. Work smart. Work on yourself. Learn. Grow. Day by
day, become slightly more effective, slightly more skilled,
slightly more efficient, slightly wiser, and much happier!
This last one is, in my opinion, the most neglected in our
culture of instant gratification. I see people who work 12
hours a day, but "can't afford" to step back, get
perspective and work smarter. I see families frantically
chasing experiences, but unable or unwilling to think
clearly about working "on" the loving relationships they
desire. How foolish. How sad!
Every day, take time for yourself. Take time to relax, to
journal or to pray. This week, review your values, and
make a date with someone you love. This fall, take a
personal retreat to review your goals, to read a book, to
get clear about the life you truly want. And finally,
commit to working less and achieving more. Invest in
yourself, in your skills, in your dreams. Read the books,
attend the seminars, do the work of creating a Wonderful
Life! Why settle for less?
was frustrated that life isn't better than it is. He observed
that most of us want life to be richer and more fun, but
life rarely cooperates with our dreams, and that is
incredibly frustrating! Why would life tease us like that?
Plato's theory was that our lives are mere reflections of
an ideal world, a "heaven" that we can glimpse, but never
achieve on earth. Now, I admit that Plato was a very smart
guy, but most of the time I profoundly disagree with him.
I believe we can live wonderful, satisfying lives any time
we set our hearts and minds to do so. With respect to Mr
Plato, I think he was simply confused about how to get
there.
This week, I read the Dalai Lama's book, "Ethics for The
New Millennium" and was reminded that the "good life" is
not achieved by collecting toys or having the biggest house
or the most money. We cannot create a wonderful life by
chasing it; we attract it by the way we live our days.
I also thought about Michael Gerber's distinction between
working "in" your business (working harder and harder,
trying to get ahead) verses working "on" your business to
make it run smoother, more efficiently and more profitably.
I think the same distinction can be made about our lives.
Many of us are working harder and harder, chasing our
dreams. We work for things and for prestige, we work to
pay the bills and we create lives that, in some ways, make
no sense!
I believe it is possible to create and live a life that
comes very, very close to your personal ideal. Whatever
you desire, we live in a time when anything is possible, if
you pursue it effectively. Here are a couple of
preliminary suggestions for working "on" your life to
create what you desire:
1. A Wonderful Life is an "inside job", so start with your
inner world. Find a daily practice that brings you peace,
and follow it with all your heart. Give thanks. Take time
to breath, to smile and be joyful. Practice gratitude.
2. Practice preventive maintenance. Take care of your
body, and your loved ones. No matter what else life
brings, your health and wellness, and the love and
friendship of those around you is essential. Eat well.
Get plenty of rest. Exercise, and hug and laugh with those
you hold dear.
3. Aim high and choose well. In a world of infinite
possibilities it can be difficult to choose the things you
want most in life, but choosing is essential. Choose your
focus. Define your mission. Clarify your values and
priorities and make sure your actions reflect your choices.
4. Work smart. Work on yourself. Learn. Grow. Day by
day, become slightly more effective, slightly more skilled,
slightly more efficient, slightly wiser, and much happier!
This last one is, in my opinion, the most neglected in our
culture of instant gratification. I see people who work 12
hours a day, but "can't afford" to step back, get
perspective and work smarter. I see families frantically
chasing experiences, but unable or unwilling to think
clearly about working "on" the loving relationships they
desire. How foolish. How sad!
Every day, take time for yourself. Take time to relax, to
journal or to pray. This week, review your values, and
make a date with someone you love. This fall, take a
personal retreat to review your goals, to read a book, to
get clear about the life you truly want. And finally,
commit to working less and achieving more. Invest in
yourself, in your skills, in your dreams. Read the books,
attend the seminars, do the work of creating a Wonderful
Life! Why settle for less?
No comments:
Post a Comment