Sounds like a no-brainer, right? Why would we need to know how to get more of what is good, even great for our lives? It seems as if this is something everyone would naturally want to do. For that reason alone, it’s something we should all be able to do
If it was that simple, then more of us would be doing it and living lives that were personally and professionally fulfilling. We would each know our individual good and great and be busily working to incorporate them into our lives.
How many of us are actually doing this?
Instead, how many of us get sidetracked? Distracted.? We may feel obligated to take a detour for other people and situations that we care about. We may even trade off doing something “now” that isn’t so good or great because we anticipate a “later” that could potentially lead to our good and great.
Getting more of what is good and great in our lives requires two actions.
- Identifying what it is. Getting as specific as we can. Acknowledging that it already exists for us. If we can observe it, even if in someone else, it means we can realize it. We can’t create or acquire something we have no knowledge of. “If you conceive it, you can achieve it.” (Lyric from the song You Are The Universe by the Brand New Heavies released in 1997. Watch the fun and uplifting YouTube video)
- Consistently direct our attention towards it. Especially during those times when our attention gets diverted. It is so easy to make excuses about other priorities. The truth is, we set the priorities for our lives. Period. Perhaps we cannot get all the good and great we want at this moment, but we can always take one tiny step towards it, no matter how hectic our lives are. This is how we immediately feel fulfilled. By honoring our good and great in every moment. Keeping our attention on our prize, as we have defined it.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma-which is living with the results of other’s people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” –Steve Jobs
We can also be aware of what’s not so good in our lives. We can raise our awareness so that we can acknowledge both sides. However, instead of letting what isn’t working obstruct us, we can use it towards our good and great.
We can choose to learn from it or we can burn from it. The choice is ours.
Find what’s good or great right now. Turn your attention there.
Jo-Aynne
5 minute action item-Today is the day to pay attention to what you want more of in your life. More love? More money? More fun? More authenticity? What is it?Don’t think about what other people value. What are your aspirations? Take a few minutes to write it down on paper. Respect your intrinsic worth by allowing yourself the time and space to do this.