Assessing what’s next

Sometimes we assess our future based on where we currently are in life.  After all, right now we are all the sum of all of our choices, energy, life experiences, and beliefs about what they all mean.

But assessing future opportunities based on our past is like driving while looking behind you.  Not so smart unless you’re moving backward, which isn’t the direction we want to go in life.

All of the influences and variables of the past have made us who we are today.  Where you are today is just where you are today.  Don’t forget that history does not equal destiny.

YOLO?

It’s popular to say “you only live once” (YOLO), especially when justifying questionable decisions.  That’s one perspective for sure.

Here’s another:  You only die once. You get to live every day until then. (YODO anyone?)

This is why hard work matters less

Having a great work ethic is a virtue.  But some bosses and employees seem to value hard work even more than outputs.  But results are non-linear and may have no correlation to effort.

The guy running the corner grocery store probably works even harder than the investor who earns 10 times as much.  Using scissors to mow the lawn is unnecessarily laborious.  I can hear my dad saying: tell me what you accomplished, not how hard you worked.

WHAT you work hard on and HOW you do the work ends up being more important than the attribute of hard work.  And of course, being intentional about what you work on, being mindful of how you work, and having a great work ethic is the trifecta.