We tend to get a bit reflective when someone close to us passes away. This is especially true if that individual was young. Questions such as what does it mean and why are we here go through our minds. It is a stark reminder that our time is limited. Unfortunately, the end will be near before we know it. Even in the best of circumstances, we can hope to enjoy 80 or 90 years on this planet. How we utilize those years is up to us. However, the amount we have is non-negotiable. We cannot purchase more time at the end. When we are done, we are done.
It is interesting how we spend our time when there is plenty of it. As long as we project that we have another 40 or 50 years, there is no urgency to what we do. We maintain the belief that we can always “get around to it later”. This changes as we grow older. Our outlook shifts to one where we know the end is coming closer. A person with an expectancy of another 40 years differs greatly from one with 10. This change in perspective manifests itself in how one spends the daily allotment of time. What was once critical is no longer that important.
In working with people assisting them in overcoming their challenges, one realizes that many create tremendous pressure on themselves. They have the desire to perform at the highest level. Most carry the attitude that they must handle all situations themselves. Of course, they quickly find that there is not enough time to get everything done. The more that they take on, the further behind they become. This leads to an increase in stress and an assortment of other physical ailments.
Most people get themselves in this situation because they choose to minor in the major things in life. In other words, their focus is consistently on things that are really unimportant in the overall scheme of life. They have the tendency to put off the things that truly make a difference in their lives. The desire to “do it all” creates an unbalanced priority system. A great amount of time is dedicated to those activities which provide a low return in the long run.
What would you do if you knew this was your last day on Earth? Would you put all that extra time in at the office? Do you think you would put off calling your spouse and telling him/her how great you love is? The answers to these questions is obvious. Fortunately, most of us have more than one more day left on this planet. Of course, we never know when the ultimate outcome will surface. Yet it is safe to say that given only 24 hours more, every action would carry tremendous impact in terms of their importance.
Eliminating the focus on the minor things in life is one of the major shifts that you can make to improve your life. The time is now to begin 'majoring in the major things in life'. Concentrating on the critical activities enables us to be more effective. We utilize the precious resource of time to our advantage. Time has the characteristic of diminishing returns. The older we get, the quicker a year passes. It seems like we go from New Year's Day to Christmas in the blink of an eye. Putting our attention on the important activities ensures that we are putting our time to the most use.
There is an old saying, 'In a hundred years this will not matter'. People also say ' We will be laughing about this in a year' (or some other time frame). These quotes allude to the fact that whatever is the 'crisis' of the moment is not really paramount. If one is going to laugh about it down the road, why not laugh about it now? It must not be all that catastrophic if there is a hint of humor in it. Release the pressure of the situation by implementing humor. Understand that it most likely is not the end of the world.
Getting ones priorities in order is a key component to living a fulfilling life. People who do not truly know what they want are apt to be swayed by outside influences. Having the outlook that time is not an unlimited commodity will offer the motivation to get things in order. If you only had a short time to live, would you be fretting about this? Ask this to determine what are the most vital parts of your life. The clearer we become on what really is important, the more we can nurture those relationships and situations.
Another saying comes to mind; 'live as if you are going to die tomorrow but plan as if you will live forever'. We found that a life with direction is the most successful. People who drift from one situation to another often lead empty lives. Their sense of accomplishment is low. People feel satisfaction when they had a hand in building something. The creative muscle is natural in all of us. Some use it to erect physical structures. Others develop companies. Still others use these skills to raise a family. Some do charitable works to gain a feeling of creating. Seeing your results after setting out with nothing more than an idea and desire is an indescribable feeling.
Begin taking your life to a new level by concentrating on what is important to you. Make those decisions as if you have only a short period of time to live. This will clear away many of the unimportant activities that really do not provide a great deal of satisfaction anyway. At the end of one's life, rarely is a sermon given spelling out how much 'stuff' on amassed. Instead, people speak of the character of the person, the relationship he/she had with others, the contributions made, and the thoughtfulness exhibited. Plan your day around offering these qualities to those closest to you. In the end, the only thing that truly matters is our interaction with others.
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