It’s hard to think about work as it’s own reward… but it’s an idea that makes a lot of sense. Work well done leads to the kind of self esteem that comes from confidence and knowledge that we can take care of ourselves.
So many of us struggle to balance conflicting responsibilities — work, home, kids, social, spiritual — that keeping regular exercise prioritized in our schedules can be a challenge.
Can this be the answer? Enjoy.
P.S. Happy Birthday, USMC.
Meditation (Photo credit: Moyan_Brenn)
Many of us think of Buddhism and other meditative approaches to life as very passive. However I as I learn more about the topic one of the things that strikes me is the discipline involved when people learn to meditate and make that a regular part of their lives. Running shoe commercials that urge us to ‘just do it’ have nothing on people who sit, motionless and silent, for a set period of time every single day.
I like the contrast between urgency and committed action. I suspect that the ad budget in question is aimed at those of us who struggle with our commitment to exercise and not the spectacular athletes featured in the media.
As different as they may seem on the surface Buddhism and “success psychology” share a lot. Take these words from noted Buddhist teacher John Daido Loori:
The only limits that exist are the ones we set for ourselves. Take off the blinders, release the chain, push down the walls of the cage and advance a step forward. When you’ve taken that step, acknowledge it, let it go, and advance another step. And when you finally arrive at enlightenment, acknowledge it, let it go and take a step forward.”
If I’d given you that quote without background would you think it belonged to one of our country’s great Buddhist teachers? Or would you attribute it to your favorite motivational speaker or writer.
Maybe the goals that mean the most are the ones we “become” rather than the ones that we “do.”
Many of the workshops I teach are about setting goals and taking action to reach them. Short articles don’t reflect one important discussion that often takes place in those workshops: “what if our goals don’t matter?”
Now before you click off of the page, this is not as depressing as it first sounds.
The idea came from a long ago conversation with my friend Penny. We were at a conference and had just attended a workshop that featured some very aggressive goal-setting and achievement techniques that didn’t really fit for either of us. Busy Moms with demanding jobs and lots of interests, we wondered why we had both been so turned off by the speaker.
We were left with a similar question. What if our goals don’t matter?
I suspect it’s a question a lot of people struggle with and we had a great discussion. While there are certain things that are vital to achieve there are others that would just be nice. Extras. Dreams. Fantasies.
She and I were both struggling with the idea that, while we both like moving forward in accomplishment and believe that we have the ability to make at least some of our dreams come true, it is not always necessary. We both had (and continue to have) wonderful lives and are very, very grateful for that. And that is what made the new goals ‘not matter’ – the fact that life is full and wonderful the way it is.
I think that this is a vital step that may be missing from some of the ‘success teachings.’ We don’t have to be dissatisfied to set goals. In fact, being grateful for what we already have is an important first step. Full acknowledgement, gratitude and enjoyment of what we already have helps us to build on strengths. It connects us with our strong foundation as we build an even better future.
