May 5, 2015
Recently, I read an article on LinkedIn by Guy Kawasaki called, “Let’s Stop The Glorification of Busy.” In this video, I want to share some thoughts of how that article resonated with me. Prior to taking some time for introspection and get to the core of what it means to be “successful” for myself, I created the formula:
- Success = Busy + Money
- Success = Happiness
And that this formula was causing me much stress in my relationships at work, at home, at the community and with my spiritual life. How was I to reconcile the demands of “reality” and still nourish and nurture that which gives me the capacity to fulfill the demands of outer life?
Summarized in 10 points, the article begins by suggesting that the existing formula be redefined or at least examined for validity. In the ontological coaching perspective, this is an assessment that requires grounding. In Language and the Pursuit of Happiness, Chalmers Brothers suggests that redefining the existing formula to the following would be more useful:
- Happiness = Productivity + Peacefulness
The first question I had to ask was, “How am I to become happy?” followed by “Am I not peaceful?” Asking the question itself was not enough to create the happiness that I sought but it certainly was a beginning of a linguistic adventure.
Redefining Productivity - Personal Takeaways
Going back to the LinkedIn article above, what struck out for me among the top 10 list was #9 - “Find solitude.”
This hit a chord! For me, solitude was the means by which I connected to my inner being (#3) and would allow me to replenish myself and thus avoid burnout (#2).
Of course, in the pursuit of that “Success”, I had neglected the core of my being, the core of my hunger to reconnect, to slow down and reassess.
And once these thoughts were in my head, these inner assessments and assertions, then my life began to blossom with new possibilities. For me, the heart of the coaching conversation is about being aware of new possibilities. Once even the possibility of this is on the periphery of awareness, it takes on a new and, to me, significant meaning.
How is it for you? Are you ready to discover new possibilities for yourself? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts!