I see a lot of people focused on becoming. Eyes forward, reaching for the next level.
How old were your kids when they took their first steps? Cool, what is the next progression marker? Are they advanced? Behind?
What’s primary school for? Easy — to get kids ready for high school.
What’s high school for? To get them ready for work, or further study.
What’s uni or a trade for? To land the first good job.
What’s the job for? To pay for a life, a family, eventually a comfortable retirement.
What’s a comfortable retirement for? Go on. Finish the sentence.
Is it “to prepare us for a comfortable death”?
There are two ideas for consideration.
The first: How much of your attention is looking towards the next thing, the next step. Postponing happiness for a future that never shows up. “Once I make Partner, I’ll relax.” “Once the kids are through school, I’ll travel.” “It’ll be better when…?”
The second: How much of you is waiting until you’re ready before you act? I spend a lot of my working week with people who are already doing and leading but still feel like an imposter. They think they should know more and be more. If you wait until you’re ready, you may never start. Kids know this – they play BEFORE they know how, and trust that they’ll work it out along the way.
The Buddhist maxim: “Make the path and the goal the same thing” resonates with me here.
Focus a little more on Being. A little less Becoming.
See what happens.
