Mr. Balboa had the right idea.
What Are Your Priorities?
It’s interesting how we schedule our days according to our priorities – for the most part at least…
We think about the things that are most important to us first, then segment down from there. If having fun with friends is the most important thing to us, then that’s the first thing we’ll think about and set aside time for first. If family is the most important thing to us, then we’ll schedule family first. But if you think about it, that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
We’re not putting the majority of our quality energy towards the things that will benefit those areas of our lives that we care about most.
Our Priorities Shouldn’t Be A List.
Rather, they should be a flow chart.
Happiness and family are probably the two most important things to most of us. So we schedule and focus on things that make us happy. We view work and sacrifice as necessary evils rather than things that should be given the majority of our focused energy.
Fun is easy. We’ve grown up in a society that has really placed a lot of importance on fun, and somehow less importance on hard work. When it’s hard work that will bring much more happiness in the long run, and time spent ‘having fun’ a lot less happiness and success.
Tip: Identify what’s most important to you, then next to it acknowledge what steps you can take to make that area of your life more successful in the long run. Don’t just make a list of the things that mean the most to you in life. How can you make them better?
What makes you happy?
For me, a lot of what makes me happy is being successful. The more people I help get in shape on this site, the happier I am. I can judge this by the number of emails I get, the traffic I get to my site, the comments I’m getting on the blog or on my fan page, and how many people are taking the PowerHowse Challege – and the feedback I get from that.
The higher the quality of work I do, and the more I do, the more I’m going to be able to do for my family – when that day comes. Also, the better work I do, the more fun I’m going to be able to have, when that day comes. Fun is the reward for a job well done. Not the reward for simply being here.
I’m also happy when I’m hanging out with friends. But I’m much happier when I’m hanging out with friends after having accomplished something. When having fun is a reward, and I don’t feel like I should be elsewhere because I’ve already done what I need to do.
Am I saying don’t have fun? Hell no! I’m saying give the majority of your focus on things that will make your life better.
The same can be said with our training. We’re going to be happier, healthier people if we follow an effective routine and give it your best effort. You’re going to be around longer for your family. You’re going to be a happier person. So work hard in the gym, and don’t let that time go to waste.
I’ve found reading to be a very important thing in my success and in my happiness. The more you know, the better equipped we are to be successful in whatever we do.
I’ve been reading Robert Herjavec‘s book Driven: How to Succeed in Business and in Life
Where others might go on vacations, when starting his business and trying to see it through to a successful venture, he had to make sacrifices. He had to work while others slept. He had to get up before anyone else. He had to risk more than anyone else. Like they say, no risk, no reward right?
The Balanced Life
Whatever gets us where we want to be in as straight a line as possible, should dictate the balance of our lives.
Somehow happiness has replaced hard work in our value system.
Question:
When do you feel the most satisfied?
After grabbing a pint with friends, that was preceded by a week of movies and drinks with friends?
Or
Grabbing a pint with friends that was preceded by a week of hard work that produced great results?
The pint is the reward. It isn’t a routine thing. It’s a gift to yourself for grinding, working hard, and making things happen for yourself and for those you care about most.
What do you think?
(Let me know in the comments section)
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