Most
of us are busier than ever. Our lives are full of things to do,
places to go, people to meet. All of this in the name of "getting
ahead." But there comes a time when we need to question "is
this really success?"
Ask most people
what they’re looking for, and chances are you’ll hear things like:
"inner peace, balance, a chance to relax, and an opportunity
to smell the roses." In short, the antithesis to the hectic
lifestyle most people seem to be living. As author Stuart Wilde
puts it, "life was never meant to be a struggle."
We need to form
a new definition for success, one that includes more balance, more
time to be with those we love, more time for play, and more time
to nurture ourselves. The paradox is that the reason most of us
work long and hard is so we can relax, play, and have more time
for our loved ones. Yet the more time we spend working, the less
time we have to enjoy the other aspects of our lives.
Few people,
on their deathbed, have ever said, "I wish I’d spent more time
at the office!" So why do so many of us "work" our
lives away and busy ourselves to death? In a word, fear! The culprit
again is the protective mind, the ego striving for safety, security,
and making certain we have "enough".
Certainly finances
and your career are important, but not at the expense of your health,
your inner peace, your family and enjoying your life. It takes courage
to let go of our old struggle habits and create ways to leverage
ourselves and delegate many of our tasks. It takes courage to re-examine
our values and make our "self", our loved ones and our
careers equal priorities. It takes courage to take more time for
yourself and maintain true equilibrium in your life.
EXERCISE:
List your
values. If you didn’t have to work, how would you spend your time?
In order to have more time for yourself, how can you leverage
yourself? (i.e. earn money while you sleep). To whom can you delegate
some of your time-consuming tasks? (i.e. letting someone else
clean the house or mow the lawn can add years to your life and
life to your years)!
Today adjust
your schedule for the next month by designating specific times
you take for yourself. Block out these times first. Consider them
appointments and keep them as you would any other.
Declaration:
I take time
for myself because "I" am a priority in my life.
For your freedom,
T. Harv Eker
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