“The best use of life is to invest it in something which will outlast life.” ~William James

We’ve been told to live the American Dream. That dream consisted of living in a certain kind of home, going to a certain kind of college and having a certain kind of job in order to live an certain kind of lifestyle. It is a freaking lie! Doing those things have stopped us from truly living a fulfilled life.

There are those who have bucked the system and set their own course.

Every great entrepreneur never set out to have a certain amount of money or lifestyle.  They simply wanted to live a life of great purpose that truly made a difference.  Those that were money focused, failed.  Money should only be a measuring stick as to how you are doing and how many people you are affecting. Basically, it is a side effect of true success.

It matters not if you do make a lot of money or not.  It matter not if you have a mansion or the average home.  What matters is what you are doing with your life.  It perturbs me when each state that has a lottery seduce people into grabbing for a certain lifestyle.  That is not true wealth nor is it success.  I can go so far as to say that those that win the lottery, for the most part, will never be wealthy.

If you are an entrepreneur that is creating value, then you will be well-rewarded for doing so.  And you will deserve it.  If you are an artist that goes beyond the conventional artist and helps to inspire others, then you deserve to be recognized and rewarded.  If you are an educator that motivates, inspires and educates in ways that your students learn + go onto live inspired lives, then you deserve to be rewarded.

It matters not where you are at regarding the possessions in your life, what does matter is the direction that you are going.  When you show passion and purpose to the world, they will want to follow you.  That is true attraction.  Every great leader has had those qualities.

Think of the Dalia Lama.  He is a person on purpose.   Even children can have that and have.  From the diary of a young teen back during the Holocaust of Nazi Germany came forth a witness that has brought forth her truth.  Anne Frank lived a life, not because she had things (which she didn’t), but because she left a legacy of horror and another of seeing brightness as well.

Each one of us, young and old, can live a life that is fulfilling.  Look at your life right now.  Are you living a lifestyle or are you living a life fulfilled for you?  Ask yourself this, “How much of my life is consumed by my lifestyle?”  While it is okay to have things, and I do, is your lifestyle holding you hostage?

Do you run around with a crowd where you believe you have to keep up with them?  Or do they allow you to be yourself and do things you really want to do.  I would suggest that you get out and discover new things in life.

I would surmise that you’ve chosen a certain lifestyle, just not your life, right?  Each one of us have things that just feel right for us.  It may not be right for others and that is okay.  The problem comes when those you’ve surrounded yourself with influences you to conform to a certain way.  Break away from convention and create your own life.

When you’re stuck in a lifestyle, it drags you down and it will even drag you down financially.  Back to the lottery example, it is all about a certain lifestyle and the trappings that come with it.  It is a reason I am totally against the lottery.  It stops people from truly living.  It create anxiety and stress.  It creates dependency.

“I must not just live my life; I will not just spend my life. I will invest my life.” ~Helen Keller

Find those that are driven by living a fulfilled life and start associating with them.  They might even be wealthy.  Again, I am not knocking one’s lifestyle, as long as it falls in line with their fulfilled life.  For them, lifestyle is optional and doesn’t determine their life.

Right now, spend the next hour writing down the fulfilling life you would want to have.  Is it purposeful and brings you joy?

Next, identify your highest values in life.  What are the top five the drive you?

Are you willing to let go of certain goals in order to start truly living? Are you willing to stop chasing and start the journey you really want to be on?

It is time to get on the road to a fulfilling life and it doesn’t matter where you are at right now.  What counts… What really counts… Will it give you satisfaction and fulfillment?  If yes, then get yourself going… NOW!!

Cheers,

Bob Choat
America’s #1 Mind-Body Transformation Expert and author of Mind Your Own Fitness