Category: Motivation

End Credits

Perhaps in the future, epitaphs on tombstones will be replaced by scrolling end credits that play on repeat. If so, who will have played the starring roles in your life? Are you in good company? Are these key players heroes, villains, jesters or extras?

The Perspective of Certainty

To tell a toddler that their heart only possesses so many beats, and it’s best not to waste more energy than necessary on tantrums would not land with any recognition of reason. Sadly, the same message is lost on most adults, even when we know better. We bear the burden of reason having dawned on us and yet routinely make it worse by missing the point of what that means, and choosing not to live by means that will better change what we know is certain.

Enter at Your Own Purpose

Before you go all-in, make sure what you’re entering into is wanting for the energy you are about to give. If not, disappointment awaits. Matching energy is sometimes what’s required. It’s not weak to pull-back when there are obvious signs that’s the right move. Sometimes our purpose is to be what a situation needs, not what we want it to be.

Time: No Returns or Exchanges

We budget expenses, but how often do we budget our values? The most expensive risk is not taking the time to consider acting in favor of our values. We’ll find that when we examine what we find most important in life, the value has no cost when we honor it. When we ignore it, the expense is regret. Budget time towards what you value – your hours are non-refundable.

Perspective is Lighter than Baggage

Our past will always project onto our future unless we reflect upon it. When we reflect upon what has happened, that reflection is what keeps our past in the past. It acts as a shield, thus allowing us to move forward without the baggage but carrying only perspective instead. Perspective is lighter than baggage!

Resume, Restart

Life always moves forward. However, that doesn’t mean that when we fall off our routines that we are unable to restart at any given moment. We don’t have to wait for Mondays or New Year’s Day: Restart when necessary! We can learn from our computers in this example. Sometimes when they aren’t working correctly, a simple reboot fixes the glitches. If artificial intelligence requires this periodically, we’d be foolish to believe we can ignore this step in our lives.

Truth Beauty

To paraphrase Keats, truth is the only beauty we need to understand in life. We know that the truth is often called ugly more than beautiful because our daily world can seem more awful than good. Challenge yourself today to be an observer of all that is actually happening around you (not to you), and see all the micro-interactions that truly make up a “normal” day. You will see more pleasantness than hatred, more kindness than rudeness, more laughter than tears. The ugly truth is that way because we choose to see it that way, in order to allow our behavior to justify our reactions, which are equally ugly as this perceived truth. The actual truth simply is, and that is simply beautiful.

Word Hard, Fail Hard

If you intend to have pride in yourself for working hard, you must also prepare your pride for the times when you will fail hard. It’s inevitable. Embrace it!