Don’t kid yourself, what you do for your work makes up a damn good portion of your life. But have you stopped to think recently, what you are actually working for?
We live in such a fast paced society. Technology has ramped up the speed of everything. We can get more done, in less time. And we are. But what is the price we are paying? In the pursuit of efficiency and achievement I believe most of us are losing ourselves. Yip, most of us.
We go on with the daily grind because that is the way it is. We work long hours because that is what is expected of us. We desire to keep climbing the ladder of success because we’ve bought into the notion that life is about getting to the top.
But the top of what? What is the proverbial mountain you want to climb? And why do you want to climb it? Have you checked in with yourself lately? Are you truly living in alignment with your values and the stuff that will actually make you happy? Or have the motions got a hold of you and you’re just running through the daily routine again and again?
Imagine yourself at the end of your life. It’s a little sobering, but it works. If all of a sudden you woke up tomorrow in heaven would you be proud of the life you’ve been living or would you want to give yourself a little slap and say “you had the power to do it differently you know”. Would you consider your life to be one well lived? Would you feel you did enough “living” in your time on earth? Sit with that for a second.
I read an article this morning by an Advertising Executive from New Zealand Linds Redding, that he wrote on his deathbed. He requested it was published after his death from oesophageal cancer in his early 50’s. It was sad, somber and inspiring all in one. He spoke of how it hadn’t been worth it. He was “successful” and had plenty of awards, but if he was rating his life against the metrics he rated his ad campaigns against, he would have given himself an average at best. Missing out on the family moments, the anniversaries and life in general all in pursuit of deadlines hadn’t filled him up. It broke my heart.
The truth is, we do have the power to do things differently, and that is the bit we are forgetting.
We have forgotten that we are infinitely wise if we give ourselves the space and moments of quietness to truly think. We know the answers to the big questions deep down in our hearts. But in our quest to keep up with the pace of life, we have become caught in the incessant stream of chatter in our minds and are forgetting to step back and contemplate. We are forgetting to dream, to consider, and to question. We are going about the motions and living life as it is served up to us each day. We are forgetting that we are the creative agents in our lives, and we have a say in how it goes. We are forgetting we have the power to do things differently.
As part of Gen Y I do believe we’re moving in the right direction. Many of our generation have an instinctual desire to create a different path and a strong desire to not fall prey to the “success” traps that were created by the Gen X’ers who came before us. We are putting pressure on the corporate “man” and workplaces are slowly changing. But they need to. The way we are currently functioning in the Western corporate model is not sustainable. We are medicating the depression out of us, we are pushing aside the burnout and we are struggling our way through life. We’re not leaving any time for the actual living bit of life.
Ultimately, when it comes to your life, any change can only come from you. No one is going to give you the keys to your happiness on a platter. You have to search within and honestly ask yourself what you want from life. You have to be willing to do the hard work of self-exploration and commit to wanting the best for yourself. What will you be proud of on your deathbed? What will sit in your heart and help you feel like you had a life well lived? Don’t put off asking yourself these big questions. These are the questions of real power that make a life meaningful. These are the questions you will be relieved your asked yourself when you finally do get to the end of your life. These are the questions that will help you live a life in true alignment with yourself.
Linds Redding’s article in its entirety – A Short Lesson in Perspective: http://www.lindsredding.com/2012/03/11/a-overdue-lesson-in-perspective/
Summary of Linds Redding’s article from Business Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/its-not-worth-it-linds-reddings-short-lesson-in-perspective-2012-11
Hi. I’m Kate Snowise and Thrive.How is my business-baby. I’m a Life & Well-Being coach who helps people who want to live a good life, do so. I have an MSc in Psychology (the happy kind of psychology that concentrates on what is right with you). I offer individual coaching that specifically helps people clarify their thinking, reconnect with their spirits, grow into their potential and regain balance. Click here to learn more.
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