It’s too easy to get hooked by stress and worry – particularly when our experience of the stress and worry is (or seems) justified by the high stakes matter or financial pressure at hand. It’s all too easy to forget, in the midst of our daily work, why it is that we’re working so hard. Indeed, most of us go far too long between bouts of appreciativeness.
So why are we working so hard? Partly for the healthy ego gratification, sure. And largely for the money, of course. But the money is a means to an end; that end ultimately being our ability to secure our well being and that of our families. You’ve heard the adage that few people on their deathbed look back over their lives and wish they’d spent more time at the office. No, most people wish they had more connection with loved ones. They wish they had kept the transcendent things closer to their daily lives. So how can you get that perspective back when you’re in the middle of the maelstrom of your practice?
Try this: As soon as you’re done reading this SuccessTip, pick up the phone, or jot a note card or an email to someone who means a lot to you. Tell them you love them. Thank them for the present they got you last year. Tell them you appreciate their friendship. By stepping outside of your work-based thoughts for just two minutes, you can reset your perspective on what’s really important in life. Ok, so who are you going to call?
