Without Editing Your Brain and Heart, What Would Your Best Life Look Like?
That’s not an easy question, because you WILL tend to edit. I certainly did for the first part of my life. How could I dream about a great life when I had no belief in myself and constant negative scripts running in my brain?
But you in the ultimate big picture, you simply HAVE to consider what your best life would look like, because life is too uncertain and short to NOT pursue the life you want…
Now to a Quick Story…
It’s 3:30 on a Wednesday afternoon and I am standing in the river with my neighbor Jason fishing. It’s a gorgeous day with a nice breeze. We are down river from my home about a half a mile, fishing 100 yards off shore in front of a beautiful mile-long stretch of beach, that sits below bluffs of pine trees. There is not another soul anywhere we can see, including the river, where there are no boats within several miles of us.
As we are fishing, catching, and releasing beautiful red fish, a bald eagle leaves its nest and we stand in awe as we watch it soar above the trees all the way down the shoreline. The sun is shining off the white of its tail, and it literally goes a mile or two without ever moving its wings. From behind it looked like an airplane as it moved farther away from us.
Jason looks over at me and says “just another Wednesday” and we both just smile and feel the glow of gratitude and appreciation.
Now, to fill in the rest of the day…
I was up by 5am, did my morning routine of prayer, reflection, gratitude, exercise, reading, journaling, and dog care. Worked energetically on what I consider the “project of a lifetime,” that involved meeting with some folks via zoom, working on ideas to help support the team’s success, connecting with others to arrange appointments, and onboarding new team members. I also put the finishing touches on some upcoming corporate speaking events and took care of several other things.
This is a typical day for me. I work with purpose and cause on the things that give me the opportunity to make an impact in the lives of others, and I do exactly the things I love to do, with the people I enjoy being with, and often by myself since I value solitude.
I am living my best life. The life I want, completely and without compromise.
I don’t share this to brag, but as an example to encourage you and perhaps inspire you. I am humbled and grateful every day by this life and I know that nothing is guaranteed. It could be over in a heartbeat, but until that day, I will keep doing the things that lead to the life I want, and I encourage you too as well.
Not coincidentally, my work is focused on helping others to live their best life possible. The life they truly want. That’s what all my work has been centered on for many years, and that is specifically what my current project is all about, as it fills out all 3 Circles and leads to the growth necessary in the things that matter to journey to the life you truly want.
The Life You Want Will Look Differently Than Mine…
You are unique. You also have your own tastes and interests. The life you want will likely not include standing in a river at 3:30 on a Wednesday. You might even think that’s the last thing you want to do.
As it should be. We are all different. That’s what makes the world go round. What is it that you want to be doing?
The life you want is a life where you are not settling, and not adapting what someone else thinks you should be doing.
It’s living where you want, doing what you want, with all the resources you need, with vibrant health, love, and work that is meaningful where you feel you are making a contribution that matters.
Of these things I’m certain.
A Few Quick Things to Add….
The issue of retirement: Some people think retiring is the key. I cannot imagine this to be true. I don’t believe in the concept. I believe in evolving as a human being and I believe in transitions. But I don’t believe we should ever stop trying to make the contribution only we can make. Sure, there will come a day when “Father Time” catches up to each of us and we can no longer make a contribution due to limits to our physical and/or mental capacity, but until that day comes, you have to keep striving to make a difference.
It doesn’t matter where you are right now: You may feel like you have no chance to get to the life you want. Maybe you feel stuck, or like you are too far behind, or that you are too…this or that. It’s never too late to start. Seriously…what else are you going to do? Lay down and roll over and say, “I give?” That would be a waste of the precious resource that is you. I started this journey 27 years ago at the age of 35. At that point I was flat broke. I did have my health and I had love, so I certainly wasn’t poor, but I was a long way from where I am now. And I’m just a regular guy, who doesn’t come from much and is no smarter or better than anyone else, but I just kept working at the fundamentals, sticking to my values and principles and priorities, and eventually I got to the place where I am living the life I truly want. And you can too…in fact, you can begin the work on the life you want right now, and it will start the progression of more light in your life and begin moving you towards it.
You can’t just make a living: You have to design your life. In order to get to the life you truly want, you have be purposeful. This means figuring out what you want it to look like, removing the things that are taking your time but not moving you towards the long game goal of the life you want, and putting in the fundamental things that will take you there. And then you just go day by day working at the quest.
If you need to make changes then make them. This is too important not to. If you need some help in how to get there you can reach out to me and I’ll share some insights into how you might get started and, maybe, we’ll talk about how my project could play a role.
I truly hope this encourages you and inspires you in some measure.
Many Blessings, Todd
P.S. If you are in need of coaching or training for your organization, reach out to me.
P.S.S. Want to detox, rid yourself of extra body fat, and rachet up your health in a 21-day window? If that sounds at all appealing, shoot me an email and I’ll share a very unique and effective program that has been massively successful in Europe over the past seven years. I’ll send you a program guide that will allow you to learn the details, and a link where you can move forward if you choose to. As an aside, this program will require some discipline:-) but it’s a lot easier than what I do every day of my life!
