One of my friends recently committed herself to a healthier, fitter lifestyle. It started off as a very healthy change for her, but at some stage it turned into an obsession. She now spends hours a day training, documents and reviews everything she eats, yet is not training for anything specific.
She has stopped enjoying dinners out, popcorn at the movies and any social event which interferes with her training schedule or dietry regime.
I have another friend who used to be 100% dedicated to his wife. Everything he did was about their quality of life and the time they spent together.
This friend was very concientious at work. Of course he was. His inspiration was the wellbeing of those he loved. So one day he got promoted. It was well deserved. When this happened though, something in his mind changed. All of a sudden he started measuring his worth by how far up the corporate ladder he could climb. His wife and family were relegated to a competing interest for his time. Time with them was time away from his career pursuits.
To my mind, both these friends have lost their way. They have forgotten about the real things in their lives, the important things. They have gotten so caught up in an idea, they've lost all balance. They've became slaves to it.
My first friend started her experience with the desire to live a healthier, fuller life. Today this desire has narrowed to a life that excludes anything not related to her training schedule. My other friend's hunger for power and career success was so strong that it displaced his love for family as his number 1 priority. It became an end in its own right when previously it was simply a means to an end.
In the history of mankind, work for the sake of work was reserved to a societal underclass we call slaves. Other people only used to work to support themselves. Once they had achieved this, they enjoyed their lives with their family and friends. The concept of career is so new in the history of mankind, it can almost be called an aberration. Yet the majority of people we know get sucked into its myth, a myth where work is the end in its own right. As a result, people continue to confuse the means to an end, with the end itself.
Ask yourself if there is work in your life which serves no purpose. It could be an exercise regime, a career, or even your perception on keeping your home overly clean.
If there is, have you enslaved yourself to an idea? Ask yourself this. How will you look back at the endeavour in 20 years? Will it be something which made your life better or will it be something that stifled your life, resulting in missed opportunities and time not spent with loved ones?
Typically we become slaves to ideas when we lose sight of the important things in life. We do this when we get so absorbed in the work we are doing, we forget to look at the broader picture. The quickest way to rectify this issue is to take a timeout. Spend a little time away from everything and get your head together again. Think about the things which are and will be really important over the course of your life, not just now. Forget about what everyone else is telling you, look into your heart and find your own perspective. Because once you find that perspective, you will throw the shackles of your self imposed slavery aside and get out of your rut.
If you are a little unsure about whether you are getting perspective right, there is an easy way to check. The things you are doing, are they for a higher life purpose? If they are, you have perspective. If not, its possible you are still caught up in the idea of what you are doing. For example, working extra hard now can be part of a plan to achieve financial freedom and retire early. It shouldn't be to get promoted to the next level in the corporate structure. The former is a life goal, the latter assumes another level of work is the end game, so you are working for works sake.
Going through this type of process, if done properly, will give you perspective. Once you have it, you will be in control of your life again. And being back in control, you'll see work or training is there to support a higher purpose. And from here, you'll have a vantage point from which you can recognise better methods, and oppotunities to find a better path to your goals. You won't be stuck, trapped as a slave to your ideas. - 15437
She has stopped enjoying dinners out, popcorn at the movies and any social event which interferes with her training schedule or dietry regime.
I have another friend who used to be 100% dedicated to his wife. Everything he did was about their quality of life and the time they spent together.
This friend was very concientious at work. Of course he was. His inspiration was the wellbeing of those he loved. So one day he got promoted. It was well deserved. When this happened though, something in his mind changed. All of a sudden he started measuring his worth by how far up the corporate ladder he could climb. His wife and family were relegated to a competing interest for his time. Time with them was time away from his career pursuits.
To my mind, both these friends have lost their way. They have forgotten about the real things in their lives, the important things. They have gotten so caught up in an idea, they've lost all balance. They've became slaves to it.
My first friend started her experience with the desire to live a healthier, fuller life. Today this desire has narrowed to a life that excludes anything not related to her training schedule. My other friend's hunger for power and career success was so strong that it displaced his love for family as his number 1 priority. It became an end in its own right when previously it was simply a means to an end.
In the history of mankind, work for the sake of work was reserved to a societal underclass we call slaves. Other people only used to work to support themselves. Once they had achieved this, they enjoyed their lives with their family and friends. The concept of career is so new in the history of mankind, it can almost be called an aberration. Yet the majority of people we know get sucked into its myth, a myth where work is the end in its own right. As a result, people continue to confuse the means to an end, with the end itself.
Ask yourself if there is work in your life which serves no purpose. It could be an exercise regime, a career, or even your perception on keeping your home overly clean.
If there is, have you enslaved yourself to an idea? Ask yourself this. How will you look back at the endeavour in 20 years? Will it be something which made your life better or will it be something that stifled your life, resulting in missed opportunities and time not spent with loved ones?
Typically we become slaves to ideas when we lose sight of the important things in life. We do this when we get so absorbed in the work we are doing, we forget to look at the broader picture. The quickest way to rectify this issue is to take a timeout. Spend a little time away from everything and get your head together again. Think about the things which are and will be really important over the course of your life, not just now. Forget about what everyone else is telling you, look into your heart and find your own perspective. Because once you find that perspective, you will throw the shackles of your self imposed slavery aside and get out of your rut.
If you are a little unsure about whether you are getting perspective right, there is an easy way to check. The things you are doing, are they for a higher life purpose? If they are, you have perspective. If not, its possible you are still caught up in the idea of what you are doing. For example, working extra hard now can be part of a plan to achieve financial freedom and retire early. It shouldn't be to get promoted to the next level in the corporate structure. The former is a life goal, the latter assumes another level of work is the end game, so you are working for works sake.
Going through this type of process, if done properly, will give you perspective. Once you have it, you will be in control of your life again. And being back in control, you'll see work or training is there to support a higher purpose. And from here, you'll have a vantage point from which you can recognise better methods, and oppotunities to find a better path to your goals. You won't be stuck, trapped as a slave to your ideas. - 15437
About the Author:
Gnifrus Urquart recognised long ago the way to financial success comes down to 3 things; increasing, managing and investing your cash. You can peruse his business strategies today
