Category Archives: Satisfaction

There is no tomorrow, only a string of todays

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“There is no tomorrow, only a string of todays.”

—Mark Nepo, Author of Book of Awakening

Image from Unsplash by xandtor

A few weeks ago, I spent three days at Sea World in Orlando with my wife Wendy, our daughter Rachel, and our two grandchildren.

With a double stroller as our base of operations, we adults got in far more than our 10,000 steps as we took in all the sun and sights!

Peak experiences — including our hands-on interactions with dolphins and Beluga whales — kept our full attention, with plenty of opportunities for photos to save these moments for posterity.

EXERCISE:

How would living your life as a string of todays help you squeeze more satisfaction from all the todays and tomorrows to come?

Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now, take what’s left and live it properly

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“Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now, take what’s left and live it properly.”

—Marcus Aurelius, ancient Roman emperor & Stoic philosopher

Image from Unsplash by Usman Yousaf

What does it mean to live a “proper” life?

At the end of your life what would you like people to say about you?

How would you have answered these questions 10 or 20 years ago?

As we age, many of us notice changes occurring in our minds and bodies.

Usually, this a gradual process and most of us come to terms with the finite nature of our lives.

We usually strive to do better and make the most of it.

What if instead of a more gradual process your life was coming to an abrupt end? How satisfied and complete would you feel and what regrets would you experience?

EXERCISE:

The movies Defending Your Life with Albert Brooks and Groundhog Day with Bill Murray offer many laughs and some good examples to consider.

Satisfaction equals What you Have divided by What you Want

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Satisfaction = What you Have (divided by) What you Want

—Arthur C. Brooks, American social scientist, musician, and columnist

The satisfaction equation looks so simple. All we need to do is acknowledge all we have, divide it by our wants, and make sure the result is a number that puts a smile on our face when we brush our teeth before bed.

We could easily do a fast status check and feel OK, or we could do a more thorough analysis to optimize our results.  Consider digging deeper here and actually do the math.

Take two separate sheets of paper with the headings What I Have and What I Want at the top. Place these sheets in a location where you will see them throughout your day. For the next few days, jot down items on each list. Keep asking yourself What Else? before you move on to other matters.

EXERCISE:

Before you do the division problem, consider how a little addition or subtraction might increase your satisfaction.

“The greedy one gathers all the cherries, while the simple one tasted all the cherries in one.”

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“The greedy one gathers all the cherries, while the simple one tasted all the cherries in one.”

—Mark Nepo, Author of THE BOOK OF AWAKENING

Image from Unsplash by Shane Babali

What does the word greedy mean to you? Who do you personally know that fits your definition?

Are you a collector of things or even experiences? Consider the following list:

  • The amount of food in your fridge and pantry
  • The number of collectables on displayed in your home
  • The number of degrees or awards you’ve received
  • The number of cities, states, and countries you’ve visited
  • The number of books you have read
  • The amount of money you have saves and invested
  • The number of ornaments on your Christmas tree

In what other areas are you or others engaged in a quest for more? What hidden costs are you possibly paying in your desire for greater well-being and life satisfaction?

EXERCISE:

Where do you find yourself gathering more and more of life’s cherries? How might savoring the cherries that you have or the ones that simply come your way lead you to a far sweeter life?

“Don’t forget how badly you once wanted what you have now.”

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“Don’t forget how badly you once wanted what you have now.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Ismael Paramo

How satisfied are you with your life? Examine who you are on the inside and take a look on the outside to explore your intrinsic and extrinsic accomplishments.

How do your observations compare to the answers you would have offered from 5, 10, or even 20 years ago?

Which of your efforts — based on what you wanted — have come to fruition, and how pleased are you today?

EXERCISE:

Take the time today to count your many blessings. How rich do you feel?

Consider having a conversation with a friend, family member, or colleague to expand the value of this exercise to more fully appreciate how far you have come.

“Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you least expect it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down.”

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“Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you least expect it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down.”

—Charles F. Kettering, 20th Century American inventor and engineer

Image from Unsplash by Jose Aljovin

The average inventor produces about three patents in their lifetime. A prolific inventor produces around 15. Charles Kettering, who founded Delco and worked for General Motors from 1920 to 1947, was the holder of 186 patents.

He was clearly a person of action, not one to sit things out on the sidelines.

Another one of my favorite quotes from Kettering is:

“My Interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there.”

EXERCISE:

Where are you currently stopped in your life?

Where are you sitting it out, hoping that things will miraculously improve on their own?

Where is it time to stand up and get going again so that you can stumble on something that will add greater meaning and satisfaction to your life?

Friday Review: Satisfaction

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FRIDAY REVIEW: SATISFACTION

What brings you the most satisfaction in life? Here are a few satisfaction-related posts you may have missed

 

“Most people’s lives are a direct reflection of their peer groups.”

 

 

 

“There must be more to life than having everything.”

 

 

 

 

“There are glimpses of Heaven to us in every act or thought or word, that raises us above ourselves.”

 

 

 

“Happy millionaires do what they love.”

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“Happy millionaires do what they love.”

—Ken Honda, Japan’s best selling zen millionaire

Image from Amazon

Someone once told me that money is a scoreboard for value. A second concept that I’ve taken to heart is: “Time is the Coin of Life.”

How are you spending your time, and what value are you creating in the world?

What is your current level of happiness and life satisfaction?

Research has proven time and again that intrinsic motivation – that based on deeply held values and beliefs – creates far more sustainable and lasting rewards than any external scoreboard could measure.

EXERCISE:

Consider taking a look at Ken Honda’s work, including his book, Happy Money. Lynn Twist’s book, The Soul of Money, is another excellent resource to help you live a more richly rewarding life.

“Your ‘I Can’ is more important than Your I.Q.”

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“Your ‘I Can’ is more important than your I.Q.”

—Robin Sharma, Author of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari series

Image of the book cover of "The Little Engine that Could"

The Little Engine that Could is an American fairy tale that became widely known in the 1930s. Through an online poll of teachers, The National Education Association rated it as one of the Top 100 books for children, because of its key message of the importance of optimism and hard work.

The story’s signature phrase, I Think I Can is a key memory I have from childhood on the importance of self belief and self determination. My wife Wendy and I did our best to instill this concept in both our children.

EXERCISE:

Where and with whom would a bunch more “I can” and “I know you can” statements support greater achievement and life satisfaction in your personal and professional communities?

Here is a short video if you wish to recapture the memory or share it with someone you love.

A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows

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“A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.”

—St. Francis of Assisi

Image of a sunbeam coming through a tree

Image from Unsplash by Darren Bockman

Who are the people in your world that light up your life?

Take a minute or more to make a list of these special people, and note the qualities and characteristics they exhibit that caused you to put them on your list.

On the flip side, note the individuals in your personal and professional communities that cast shadows over your world and reduce your aliveness and life satisfaction. What are their specific behaviors and attitudes that cloud your world?

EXERCISE:

Beyond spending far more time with the first group and less with the second, how can and will you personally bring more sunshine to those around you, for the benefit of all?

This effort will almost certainly attract many more sunbeams from others who also desire brighter days.