Author: Jim Gohrick (Page 45 of 159)

Staying committed to the process rather than tethering ourselves to results can be quite challenging. However, it may be our ticket to sanity and a well-rounded life in the long run.

It’s difficult because we must disassociate ourselves with an outcome and focus on the process of learning, which involves a whole lot of (I have no other way of saying it) failure.

This is where it gets a bit tricky. After all, our society is based on results and where we fall in the overall results. Our kids’ GPA’s, athletic programs, stock market, business entities bottom line, league championships, job promotions, etc. Everyone is racing to finish ahead of someone or something else.

However, maybe – just maybe, we can commit ourselves to gaining knowledge through experiences in our chosen field and only that – rather than worrying about where we land in comparison to others.

Although it may feel like we’re throwing in the towel in the grand rat race of life, we’re actually investing in ourselves and our commitment to gaining wisdom in the long-haul.

Maybe this is where the true value resides. Not finishing first.

Seth Godin distilled it down so eloquently by saying, “If you want to be a poet, then write poetry.” Sounds simple, right?

He went on to say how we begin to attach conditions to our intentions such as, “I want to write poetry and be published.” We make it more and more difficult to follow through (now I’m paraphrasing).

Makes sense, though. Because what I hear is this: Do something for the joy of doing it. No more. No less.

That’s not a bad reason at all. In fact, it may be a whole lot easier to show up if that’s our motivation.

Rule # 6: Don’t take yourself so &@%damn seriously.

Rules #1-5: SEE RULE #6

There’s always time for you no matter what’s going on in your day. Until we can put ourselves first, we’ll squander our time and efforts as they dissipate into the ether.

Our health – both physically and mentally – should always come first before scheduling other tasks.

It doesn’t take much: a ten-minute meditation here, a twelve minute walk around the block to get some fresh air there or a quick twenty minute workout at lunchtime.

Time spent on ourselves never goes to waste. The dividend’s will pay in tenfold.

You’re the most important person in your life. Take care of her/him.

When we’re indecisive about which direction to go; make a decision and dive in!

If we’re afraid the water is too cold; Dive in! (just make sure it’s deep enough)

When we don’t know where to start; Dive in!

If there’s a whisper in your head that says you can do it, but you’re paralyzed with fear; Dive in!

There’s nothing we can learn, let alone master, by standing on the sidelines. Eventually, we have to just . . . Dive in!