focus on what matters

Our lives, like our closets, tend to get cluttered. We have deep seated aversion to loss; many of us are mild pack rats both of physical possessions and of habits and routines that no longer serve us. One solution in evaluating is to use more extreme criteria. I look at my closet and hesitate to toss something because I might, just maybe, could possibly wear it someday distant in the future. A far better question is: “Do I absolutely LOVE it? Would I buy it today? And wear it out of the store?”  

Using more extreme criteria raises the bar, forces us to focus on the essentials and eliminate the remainder. Happiness in life in part consists in finding our purpose, our path, our mission and following with passion. What makes you JUMP out of bed in the morning? Fires up your juices? Lights the fire in your belly? Given limited resources, every yes is a no. Do not live your life on autopilot. Given that time is the currency of your life, you owe it to yourself to make sure your “yeses” are taking you where you want to go. As the sage said, the secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine.

By embarking upon a “disciplined pursuit of less” we free up time and energy for the essential, for the truly important.

Closing Quote:

“We overvalue nonessentials like a nicer car or house, or even intangibles like the number of our followers on Twitter or the way we look in our Facebook photos. As a result, we neglect activities that are truly essential, like spending time with our loved ones, or nurturing our spirit, or taking care of our health.” ― Greg McKeown

As always, I share what I most want/need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier