“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become” Charles Jueng. As you understand this game we call life, you realize that there are certain principles that if followed, will improve your life experience. Why not apply them?
Existence is bigger than anything you can wrap your brain around. Most people have something that they think defines them. “I’m an accountant.” “I’m a golfer.” “I’m the father of two boys.” What we often fail to see is that we are so much more than all of those things. These are all external factors. What happens when the accountant losses his job or a shoulder injury puts an end to the golf game?
In my book, Adjust Your Sails, I spend time discussing the fact that the happiness you experience in life has a lot to do with your ability to go with the flow. If you are constantly fighting the flow and trying to change things instead of accepting what is and navigating from there, you will always be struggling. That struggle will manifest as frustration and eventually lead to unhappiness.
For the sailor, weather, wind, and current are the non-controllable variables. He can choose to fight against them and struggle to get where he wants to go, or he can accept them and modify his navigation to adjust for the conditions.…
My coach is a woman named Joan King. Joan was diagnosed with breast cancer and took the diagnosis as motivation to teach others. After months of radiation and chemotherapy, she came out more determined than ever. A year after being cancer free, she was told that it had metastasized into her liver. While many of us would have considered this diagnosis a death sentence, she knew better.
She began an experimental treatment and knows that her body is healing. She lives her life the way she wants it to be. I’m happy to say that today she is as motivated as I’ve ever seen anyone. …
I arrived at the Ritz Carlton in Naples, Florida, after an exhausting day of travel. The bellman took my suitcase on the way in, and I proceeded to the front desk to check in. A very professional young woman got me registered and I proceeded straight to my room. All I could think about was getting out of the suit, putting on a pair of shorts, and relaxing. Ten minutes went by and the bellman still hadn’t arrived. I called the front desk and I asked if I could come down to pick up my bag. I explained that I was not trying to be difficult, but I was tired and just wanted to change and relax.…
Years ago I had a colleague who was incredibly disciplined when it came to saving for his future. Bruce made sacrifices throughout his entire working life so that he could live the retirement of his dreams. On his 65th birthday he retired. One week later he was diagnosed with cancer. Six months later he was gone. His wife lived a few more years and after her death the children inherited everything. Unlike their parents they took the “live now” attitude to a whole new extreme. They spent their parents hard earned money on luxury cars and lavish vacations. When the money ran out, they realized that they never took care of their children’s education, paid down their mortgage, or saved anything for the future.…
In chapter four of Adjust Your Sails we take an in depth look at the concept of how to create a bucket list. The primary focus is on fulfillment.
The reality is that none of us know when we will spend our last day on earth. No one ever sat on their deathbed and wished they had spent more time working or taking care of the house. The real question is, what are those things you want to do while you are here? Have you taken the time to create a list? If not, what are you waiting for?
If you have a smart phone, pull it out right now and open a note.…
