Life on Track

Finding Direction in Changing Times

As the old economy crumbles, more and more people are looking for a path that serves life more than money.  Unemployed, underemployed, and disillusioned with the corporate structure, increasing numbers are looking to the internet and home and family based businesses to provide a more fulfilled life.  A major challenge, however, is finding a direction.  

Nothing is more frustrating than not having a meaningful direction. Clarity is critical for success. It provides you with the power to do. Without a clear direction, you remain stuck or running around in circles.  Even worse, you can never reach your full potential because you cannot fully commit.

Each person is unique and has something special to offer to the world. To be truly happy, we must use our "uniqueness" to add value to the lives of others. This is important in order to have relationships that give us meaning and financial success.

When you identify a direction for your life, it helps you in three ways:
It helps you to clarify your area of contribution.
It helps you connect meaningfully with others.
It helps you define and apply your internal focus in order to make wise decisions.

Then you can begin to align your resources with your values and sense of purpose. You can set your own limits, and maintain a sense of balance within yourself and with others.  

Success: The Internal Yardstick of Purpose

In the past, success has been often defined in material terms such as money. Today, with the downturn of the economy, many people are looking for something more.  In order to be truly happy, more and more are choosing to become more socially conscious, honor their deeper values, and utilize their strengths. 

One motto that has driven American Society for many years is "More is Better." Yet many have found that once they have enough for their basic survival and comfort, the additional emphasis on money and position does not bring happiness to many people.  Indeed, research shows that focusing on money and position at the expense of personal fulfillment and meaning lead many to suffer from depression and anxiety. 

This has been clearly shown in epidemiological research.  In almost all Western countries, once basic needs are met, continued affluence does not lead to happiness.  Instead, it has lead to epidemic levels of depression (Seligman, 2002). 

What motivates this continuous drive for more? Many times it is motivated by feelings of inadequacy, scarcity, and lack.  When this happens, individuals often measure themselves by an invisible yardstick that is external to themselves. If more is better, then what I have is not enough, but the "more" that is supposed to make things better still is not enough. As long as we are measuring ourselves by what others have or think, we will never have enough.

The problem is that this motivation comes from a negative root, and, according to the Law of Attraction, "like attracts like," resulting in continued strife. Once we become aware of a negative root, we can choose to release it, and create a new path.

Success: The External Yardstick of Getting to Enough

Success has been often defined in material terms such as money. Today, with the downturn of the economy, many people are looking for something more.  Today, in order to be truly happy, more and more are choosing to become more socially conscious, honor their deeper values, and utilize their strengths. 

 

One motto that has driven American Society for many years is "More is Better." Yet many have found that once they have enough for their basic survival and comfort, further emphasis on money and position does not bring more happiness. Indeed, research shows that focusing on money and position at the expense of personal fulfillment and meaning lead many to suffer from depression and anxiety. 

 

This has been clearly shown in epidemiological research.  In almost all Western countries, once basic needs are met, continued affluence does not
lead to happiness.  Instead, it has lead to epidemic levels of depression.
 

What motivates this continuous drive for more? Many times it is motivated by feelings of inadequacy, scarcity, and lack.  When this happens, individuals often measure themselves by an invisible yardstick that is external to themselves. If more is better, then what I have is not enough, but the "more" that is supposed to make things better still is not enough. 

As long as we are measuring ourselves by what others have or think, we will never have enough. The problem is that this motivation comes from a negative root, and,according to the Law of Attraction, "like attracts like," resulting in continued strife. Once we become aware of a negative root, we can choose to release it, and create a new path.

 

Warm Regards,

 

Dr. Alice