It’s human nature to see what other folks are doing and wish for their success or wish our own lives were more like theirs. Our lives have no precedent, that’s what Joseph Campbell used to say. You are who you are, the story of your life is yours and yours alone to create as you go. Sure, you’ll probably still look at folks and envy them or wish you were doing some really cool stuff like they are, but they had to work to get there, and if what they have is something you want then you’ll have to work to get there, too.

It’s also true that some folks make work look so very easy, and I would submit that when you align your work with your life purpose then things definitely come together with greater ease, organically, rather than having to force or manipulate things to get what you want. As well, nothing that you force or manipulate will last so that’s the loser’s game. Let whatever you want to build unfold slowly, take your time with it. There will be times when there’s anxiety, and you have to rush, but when you’re initially trying to go after that goal, that thing you want, plot the course. Often, the course is just an intellectual exercise where you can see the bird’s eye view of what you hope for; this will make you feel better. But the universe makes the rules, and can both increase and decrease the rate at which our plan unfolds. We don’t have control over much, but the plan helps the self feel like it’s running the show.

Stay focused on the end goal, but enjoy the work, the ride, the process, because all we have is now. If you’re not enjoying the now, the actual work of getting to that end goal then you’ll lose interest and after a while abandon the goal. This is the hardest part to starting anything, but also the most important part. The goal becomes ancillary or just an extra bonus to the work.

Don’t set goals around work you don’t enjoy (really enjoy, can’t wait to do it kind of enjoyment!) otherwise you’ll give up the next time you see something that somebody has and you want. Also, take your time; life is short, but time is relative, there’s good time and bad time. If you’re immersed in something that you love doing that’s good time, and it will fly by, even while you’re “taking your time” with the endeavor.

2 Responses to “What others are doing.”

1. Meagan Rogers says:

   October 12, 2009 at 7:32 am

   You don’t really notice that time flies so fast when you tend to enjoy what you are doing, and this applies to me in my current job. Sometimes it feels so exhausting but at the end of the day I would still feel contentment because I just finished the day accomplishing all my tasks and I’m happy about it.
2. Beth says:

   October 15, 2009 at 11:15 pm

   This is some of the best wisdom I’ve ever read. Succinct and simple – the way we should be told when we are young and just starting our journeys.