“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”– George Bernard Shaw
I choose carefully where I spend my time. This includes who I take on for mentoring, as well as finding mentors for myself.
In the early days life is a little less of a blur now – I’m intentional about who I spend time with and I have a deep sense of purpose. Which means I like the two to align. Simply put I want my legacy or contribution to have made the world a slightly better place. If I can share what I have learned perhaps others can share from my mistakes, tragedies and upsets. As well as the good things.
When I think about mentoring I ask myself ‘who understands my vision, who is aligned with my values ad how has been here before?
Success, happiness and a sense of calm are all admirable aspirations – but I question are they not a moving target that comes and go – perhaps they are fleeting experiences as the goal posts move. Ah, so that would mean that ‘it is all about the journey, not the destination’.
Fifteen years in business and I still think ‘oh my goodness it could all end tomorrow’ – I still have a deep fear.. so what is it that we can do to give us the impression, or the experience of living a ‘successful life’.
There are plenty of articles on the ‘practices of successful people’… Perhaps I can add mine to the conversation.
ask myself ‘what is the worst that can happen?
If a small thing has the power to make you angry, does that not indicate something about your size?” — Sydney Harris
Often, I push, push, push myself… wanting to make everything perfect. Yet this pursuit of perfection leaves me exhausted. What if there was no perfection? What if I could be truly satisfied with what I did get done… what would be the worst that happened. I need to play this out (or even talk it out).
I have a friend who is a surgeon her bad day and my bad day are worlds apart. Reality checking! – It is just business.
Ask yourself, will it matter to you five years from now? Is it important in the scheme of things?
If the answer is yes, do care and be in action (but surprisingly many times it is not as important as you think it is in that moment.) Does it concern your family, friends or your well-being – these are the fundamentals?
Be in action.
“Happy people plan actions, they don’t plan results.”- Dennis Waitle
If there is one thing that I do when I know I am in a spot, or I just don’t want to deal with it I imagine how I will feel when it’s done. I close my eyes and count out loud backwards from five to one. Apparently, this kicks the frontal cortex into gear. Who knows, what I do know is I feel so silly that I don’t want to repeat the action so I just get on with it.
For more of my thoughts on mentoring, perhaps it is time to ready Live What You Love
I know why I do what I do.
“Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week.” Spanish Proverb
