Friday, October 31, 2008

Success


Here's a great quote from John Wooden, the best coach ever:


"Success is the peace of mind, which is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."


Success is more growth than it is actual attainment or achievement. Do you have this kind of peace of mind? Are you striving for your absolute best?

Friday, October 17, 2008

Elusive Life Balance


The present transitions in my life have inspired me to reveal what my internal motivational coach is prodding in a self-talk of sorts. Honestly, I am struggling. I feel like my life is out of balance, and I am not focused on moving beyond where I do not want to be and moving forward in the direction that I chose to go. And this is more related to my life at home than it is with my job, but career consists of all of the facets of one’s life and is not limited to paid occupations.

For one, I have found myself too busy to be the loyal blogger that I set out to be, and yet I know I have the kind of ideas that potentially can inspire others daily. Why have I not found the time to dedicate myself to this enjoyment? Whenever my life becomes more of what I feel I have to do and less of what I want to do, I try to reassess what I am doing and regain the balance that I have somehow relinquished.

What gives you energy? What drives you? How much of your waking hours are you doing such things? Ideally, whether your quest is for any combination of fulfillment, enjoyment, actualization, meaning, productivity, or leaving behind a legacy, the goal is to have this vitality in the largest proportion possible. This vitality for you might be only one thing, or a fine mix of many things. For some, it is recreational fun, for others it is excelling in a gift or talent, or perhaps it is the satisfaction of making a difference.

The trick of life balance is to take a moment to analyze how you are spending each day. Are you doing what you want to do with your life? If not, are you taking risks and making sacrifices that will help you grow and develop in a way that will ultimately get you there? If your life is anything otherwise, it is time for you to challenge yourself. Take a risk. Be courageous. Persevere through adversity. Dream and take charge.

Think life as similar to the journey of the tightrope walker. Even if the path of life were as linear and tight as a tightrope, one must constantly adjust their balance bar to successfully get anywhere. Add in the chaos and curves that reality throws in, and realize that the “balance” in life is the result of vigilant efforts to constantly adjust without ever hesitating too long when the feeling of falling seems to overwhelm. Instead, maintain your composure when you otherwise feel you might lose your step. Move forward, onward, above, and beyond. With the right balance, you can go far and do amazing things.